UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

Etchings         Institutions search term: mclean

St James's Place, Houndsditch

Impression: Hunterian Art Gallery
Hunterian Art Gallery
(46915)
Number: 255
Date: 1886
Medium: etching and drypoint
Size: 82 x 178 mm
Signed: butterfly at upper right
Inscribed: no
Set/Publication: no
No. of States: 2
Known impressions: 8
Catalogues: K.290; M.284; W.232
Impressions taken from this plate  (8)

TECHNIQUE

The scene was sketched quickly, with a lot of areas left blank, but the shading of the windows was done with irregular patches and sweeps of parallel shading and zigzag shading, at various angles, producing a vivid effect of light and shade, slightly softened by drypoint shading. The figures were summarised with crooked, curved and angular broken lines, creating an effect of movement without being completed in detail. Drypoint augments the etched lines in the second state.

PRINTING

The first proof was printed in black ink on cream 'modern' (post-1800) laid paper, with very light tone (Graphic with a link to impression #K2900104) and another first state was on cream laid paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K2900106). Several later impressions were printed in dark brown ink on cream (Graphic with a link to impression #K2900109, Graphic with a link to impression #K2900102) or ivory (Graphic with a link to impression #K2900105, Graphic with a link to impression #K2900103) laid paper, one with a crowned 'GR' countermark (Graphic with a link to impression #K2900107). All are trimmed to the platemark and signed on a tab with Whistler's butterfly and 'imp.' to show that the artist had printed them.