Au Sixième |  Hunterian Art Gallery (46663) | |
| Number: | 3 | |
| Date: | 1857 | |
| Medium: | etching | |
| Size: | 108 x 77 mm | |
| Signed: | 'Whistler.' at lower right | |
| Inscribed: | 'Au Sixième' | |
| Set/Publication: | no | |
| No. of States: | 1 | |
| Known impressions: | 2 | |
| Catalogues: | K.3; M.2; T.- | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (2) | ||
TECHNIQUE
Lochnan relates the etching to Whistler's pen and ink drawings of studio life, An artist in his studio [m0211] and Scene from Bohemian life [m0213]. The pen technique is similar, with fine dotted shading on faces, and areas of shadow drawn with a combination of short broken lines and irregular cross-hatching. 13
13: Lochnan 1984, pp. 21-23.
PRINTING
Only two impressions are known, and both were owned by family members (
, ). One was printed in black ink on off-white China paper laid down on ivory wove paper (), and the next in brown ink on ivory wove paper ().
, ). One was printed in black ink on off-white China paper laid down on ivory wove paper (), and the next in brown ink on ivory wove paper ().Lochnan suggests 'that these impressions were pulled on a hand press in the rue Campagne-Première to which Whistler had access in 1857-58.' 14 The source for this suggestion is the Pennells, who mention among Whistler's Paris lodgings:
14: Lochnan 1984, pp. 21-23.
'No. 3 Rue Campagne-Première, where Drouet had a studio. ... Drouet says that Whistler himself never printed at this time. But Oulevey remembers a little press in the Rue de Campagne-Première, and Whistler pulling the proofs for the occasional friend who came to buy them.' 15
15: Pennell 1908, I, pp. 54, 71, referring to Charles L. Drouet (1836-1908).