UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

La Marchande de Moutarde

Impression: National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
(1943.3.8410)
Number: 20
Date: 1858
Medium: etching
Size: 157 x 90 mm
Signed: 'Whistler' at lower left
Inscribed: 'Imp. Delatre. Rue St. Jacques. 171.' (2-3); crossed out (4); removed (5)
Set/Publication: 'French Set', 1858
No. of States: 5
Known impressions: 75
Catalogues: K.22; M.22; T.11; W.16
Impressions taken from this plate  (75)

TECHNIQUE

Ralph Thomas, Jr (1840-1876) was among the many admirers of this etching: 'As a piece of work of this period in the artist's styles, this, not only as to etching but the biting in, is one of the most perfect specimens.' 10

10: Thomas 1874 (cat. no. 11).

PRINTING HISTORY

Over seventy impressions of this etching have been located in public collections. The unique first state is in the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC (Graphic with a link to impression #K0220102). There are comparatively few impressions of the second state (i.e. Graphic with a link to impression #K0220203, Graphic with a link to impression #K0220202) but more of the third state (i.e. Graphic with a link to impression #K0220303, Graphic with a link to impression #K0220302).
It was published in the 'French Set' in the second and third states. The second state would mostly have been printed in France by Auguste Delâtre (1822-1907), and the third certainly printed in London. Typical impressions of the second state were printed in black ink on cream or ivory Asian paper (chine appliqué, i.e. Graphic with a link to impression #K0220303). However others were printed on laid papers, some with watermarks (Graphic with a link to impression #K0220202) such as Wizernes (Graphic with a link to impression #K0220203).
Third states were divided between those printed on Asian papers, such as chine appliqué (Graphic with a link to impression #K0220303), and western laid papers, some with watermarks, including a crown (Graphic with a link to impression #K0220301), and Britannia (Graphic with a link to impression #K0220316). One unusual impression is on a grey/greenish fibrous wove paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0220204).
These were followed by a few proofs of a fourth state with Delâtre's name crossed out (i.e. Graphic with a link to impression #K0220403). One fourth state is on ivory laid paper with a partial watermark ('A', Graphic with a link to impression #K0220403).
Over twenty impressions of the final, fifth, state as published in English Etching, have been identified in public collections (see Graphic with a link to impression #K0220503, and Graphic with a link to impression #K0220502). More of these are to be found in private and public collections. This final state was printed by Frederick Goulding (1842-1909), in black ink, mostly on ivory or cream laid paper including 'WHATMAN 1814' (Graphic with a link to impression #K0220517) and 'J. H. & ZOON' (Graphic with a link to impression #K0220503) watermarked paper.