Cameo, No. 1 (Mother and Child) |  Hunterian Art Gallery (44507) | |
| Number: | 459 | |
| Date: | 1891 | |
| Medium: | etching | |
| Size: | 178 x 128 mm | |
| Signed: | butterfly at lower right | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | no | |
| No. of States: | 1 | |
| Known impressions: | 15 | |
| Catalogues: | K.347; M.333; W.224 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (15) | ||
TECHNIQUE
This is pure etching.
PRINTING
There was a print-run of at least twenty impressions of Cameo, No. 1.
An impression inscribed '1st Proof.' was printed in dark brown ink on ivory laid paper with a 'Pro Patria' watermark (
). It is not trimmed to the platemark but is signed in the margin with Whistler's butterfly and 'imp.' to show that he had printed it. Another, printed in dark brown ink on 'antique' (pre-1800) laid paper, was neither trimmed nor signed, but remained in Whistler's estate at his death.
). It is not trimmed to the platemark but is signed in the margin with Whistler's butterfly and 'imp.' to show that he had printed it. Another, printed in dark brown ink on 'antique' (pre-1800) laid paper, was neither trimmed nor signed, but remained in Whistler's estate at his death.Most impressions were trimmed to the platemark and signed on a tab with Whistler's butterfly and 'imp.', including one printed in black ink on Asian wove paper, which was marked as the '3rd Proof' and with the little 'oo' mark that depicts a chosen proof ().
). Whistler numbered the impressions but it is not certain that the numbers reflect the printing order - they may have been numbered when preparing the sheets for sale. A note of sales to Frank J. Hecker (1846-1927) mentions '"Cameo No 1" (proof. No. 5)', but this impression has not been located. 11
11: 29 June 1891, GUW #13084.
Several etchings are numbered on the verso, including '10 -' () and '12' (). Another, sold to Howard Mansfield (1849-1938), is recorded as '"Cameo No. 1" (No. 14)' but again, this has not been located. 12 Two further impressions from later in the sequence are '16.', printed on ivory laid paper, possibly with an Arms of Amsterdam watermark () and '19', also on ivory laid paper ().
) and '12' (). Another, sold to Howard Mansfield (1849-1938), is recorded as '"Cameo No. 1" (No. 14)' but again, this has not been located. 12 Two further impressions from later in the sequence are '16.', printed on ivory laid paper, possibly with an Arms of Amsterdam watermark () and '19', also on ivory laid paper ().12: 23 July 1891, GUW #13049.
It is not always possible to check numbers written on the verso, and some may have been rubbed out during conservation, so the other surviving impressions probably fit into this sequence.