Tilbury |  Art Institute of Chicago (1933.214) | |
| Number: | 312 | |
| Date: | 1887 | |
| Medium: | etching and drypoint | |
| Size: | 83 x 179 mm | |
| Signed: | butterfly at lower left | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | no | |
| No. of States: | 3 | |
| Known impressions: | 10 | |
| Catalogues: | K.317; M.312 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (10) | ||
TECHNIQUE
This is primarily an etching, with a few drypoint additions.
PRINTING
The record of printing of the 'Jubilee Set' is exceptionally detailed. Five impressions of Tilbury were printed by 19 August 1887, two on 23 August, and four on the following day. The same list appears to state that another seven were printed on 1 September, but this may be misleading: it could be a record of the total in stock at that time. Another note adds that six were still in stock on 26 September, plus one in the 'press'. 6
6: [18 August- 1 September 1887], GUW #13234.
The five printed on 19 August 1887 were probably impressions of the first state (
, , , , ). Most impressions were printed in black ink on ivory laid paper (, , ) and ivory 'antique' (pre-1800) laid paper (). However two are in dark brown ink on laid paper with partial Pro Patria watermarks (, ) and one on cream laid paper removed from a book (). One impression is in black ink on cream wove paper (); this was marked with 'oo' on the verso and selected for a special Jubilee Album owned by Walter Stanton Brewster (1872-1954) and given to the Art Institute of Chicago.
, , , , ). Most impressions were printed in black ink on ivory laid paper (, , ) and ivory 'antique' (pre-1800) laid paper (). However two are in dark brown ink on laid paper with partial Pro Patria watermarks (, ) and one on cream laid paper removed from a book (). One impression is in black ink on cream wove paper (); this was marked with 'oo' on the verso and selected for a special Jubilee Album owned by Walter Stanton Brewster (1872-1954) and given to the Art Institute of Chicago. 
An impression of the final, third, state was printed in dark brown ink on ivory laid paper now darkened to buff, and on this Whistler sketched proposed alterations in pen and purple ink on one impression, reproduced above. However, no such alterations were carried out.