Nursemaid and Child | ||
Number: | 42 | |
Date: | 1859 | |
Medium: | etching and drypoint | |
Size: | 99 x 134 mm | |
Signed: | 'Whistler' at lower left | |
Inscribed: | no | |
Set/Publication: | no | |
No. of States: | 2 | |
Known impressions: | 35 | |
Catalogues: | K.37; M.36; T.21; W.34 | |
Impressions taken from this plate (35) |
TECHNIQUE
The composition is etched, but drypoint enhances the richness of the child's cloak and hair and the woman's ribbons.
PRINTING
'Near Holloway - 1st State -' was written by Whistler on one impression (
). Most impressions were printed in black ink, on a variety of papers, including ivory 'antique' (pre-1800) laid paper, sometimes darkened to buff, with the watermark of a hunting/post horn on a shield (
,
,
); ivory 'antique' laid from a book, with binding indents (
); cream 'modern' laid (
); off-white 'modern' laid with Strasbourg Lily watermark (
); dark cream laid watermarked '1802' (
) and cream wove paper (
). One impression appears to be in dark brown rather than black ink, on ivory 'antique' laid paper (
).










The plate was steel-faced and it is probable that it was printed either in the 1890s or after Whistler's death.