Fitzroy Square |  Freer Gallery of Art (1905.204) | |
| Number: | 183 | |
| Date: | 1878/1881 | |
| Medium: | etching | |
| Size: | 127 x 92 mm | |
| Signed: | butterfly at lower left | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | T. R. Way, 1912 | |
| No. of States: | 3 | |
| Known impressions: | 10 | |
| Catalogues: | K.App.3; M.app. 4 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (10) | ||
TECHNIQUE
Fitzroy Square was drawn with an etching needle by Whistler but actually etched by Francis Short (1857-1945) after Whistler's death
PRINTING
According to Mansfield, 'The drawing on the plate was done by Whistler, ... but the biting was done, after Whistler's death, by Mr. Frank Short, by whom the impression in the Mansfield Collection was printed.' 9 One impression (
) was annotated by Frederick Goulding (1842-1909):
) was annotated by Frederick Goulding (1842-1909):9: Mansfield 1909 (App. IV).
'This subject, drawn on the grounded plate - left unbitten by Mr Whistler on account of accident to ground - in Mr Way's possession 1904 - was bitten by Frank Short, who printed & gave me this proof -
F Goulding'.
F Goulding'.
The plate was indeed acquired by Thomas Way (1837-1915), and was bitten and printed in an edition of at least ten by Francis Short (1857-1945). He signed some impressions, 'F. Short af. et. imp.' (, ). Some impressions have the printed letterpress added, 'J. Mc. N. Whistler. delt' (superscript 'c' and the last 't') and 'F. Short. aq.'
, ). Some impressions have the printed letterpress added, 'J. Mc. N. Whistler. delt' (superscript 'c' and the last 't') and 'F. Short. aq.'Impressions are printed in black ink, mostly on laid paper, but including ivory laid paper discoloured to buff (); ivory 'antique' (pre-1800) laid (, ); cream laid (); ivory wove () and thin, semi-transparent Japanese laid paper ().
); ivory 'antique' (pre-1800) laid (, ); cream laid (); ivory wove () and thin, semi-transparent Japanese laid paper ().