Etchings Institutions search term: obach
Gypsy Baby |  Freer Gallery of Art (1902.107) | |
| Number: | 373 | |
| Date: | 1887/1888 | |
| Medium: | etching | |
| Size: | 100 x 68 mm | |
| Signed: | butterfly at lower right | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | no | |
| No. of States: | 1 | |
| Known impressions: | 3 | |
| Catalogues: | K.339; M.337 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (3) | ||
TECHNIQUE
The plate for Gypsy Baby was executed in pure etching. Whistler drew the child in two distinct positions, one further left than the final position, with the earlier lines slightly disguised and slightly accentuated by diagonal shading. Broken lines, dots and dashes, patches of shading, two or three outlines on the young woman's face, all contribute to a curiously naive and confusing image.
PRINTING
Only three impressions of Gypsy Baby have been located. One was printed in dark brown ink on ivory laid paper (
), another in black on similar paper () and the third in black on buff laid paper, possibly an Asian paper (). Each was printed with light surface tone, trimmed to the platemark and signed with a butterfly and 'imp.' on the tab to show that they were printed by Whistler.
), another in black on similar paper () and the third in black on buff laid paper, possibly an Asian paper (). Each was printed with light surface tone, trimmed to the platemark and signed with a butterfly and 'imp.' on the tab to show that they were printed by Whistler.