Annie |  Freer Gallery of Art (1903.230) | |
| Number: | 7 | |
| Date: | 1857/1858 | |
| Medium: | etching | |
| Size: | 119 x 81 mm | |
| Signed: | 'J.W' at lower left (1-2); 'Whistler' lower right (2); both removed (3); 'Whistler' lower left (4-final) | |
| Inscribed: | 'Imp. Delatre. Rue St. Jacques. 171.' at lower right (4-final); 'Annie' at bottom (6-final) | |
| Set/Publication: | 'French Set', 1858 | |
| No. of States: | 7 | |
| Known impressions: | 55 | |
| Catalogues: | K.10; M.8; T.10; W.15 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (55) | ||
STATE
Seven states are known.
State 1
Signed 'J.W' at lower left.
The plate is lightly etched; the figure has legs and feet.
An impression of the first state at the British Museum is trimmed well within the image at the bottom, to just below the hem of the frock (
).
It is possible that the legs were etched by Francis Seymour Haden, Sr (1818-1910) (see TECHNIQUE). 5
An impression of the first state at the British Museum is trimmed well within the image at the bottom, to just below the hem of the frock (
).It is possible that the legs were etched by Francis Seymour Haden, Sr (1818-1910) (see TECHNIQUE). 5
5: An inscription on a final state reads 'Legs not by me! / the impertinent work of another -' ().
State 2
Signed 'Whistler' at lower right; the earlier 'J.W' remains but is obscured by curving horizontal and zigzag shading.
The feet and most of the legs are removed; new curved horizontal and diagonal shading is added at left; the face and hair are redrawn; the frock is darkened by many new lines and lengthened at the front.
State 3
Most shading at lower left, both plate signatures, and more of the girl's left leg are removed.
State 4
Signed 'Whistler' at lower left and inscribed 'Imp. Delatre. Rue St. Jacques. 171' (raised 't' in 'St') at lower right.
New, heavier shading is added to the background to left of the skirt; there are spots of foul biting around the figure.
Published in the 'French Set' in this and the following state.
State 5
The outlines of the top of both legs are clearly defined; short left to right diagonals (\\\) are added to her left leg.
Published in the 'French Set' in this and the preceding state.
State 6
Inscribed 'Annie' (lightly underscored) at lower centre.
The tips of the copper plate corners are clipped off; thus the four platemark corners no longer have sharp right angles.
State 7
Most foul biting at left and right of the figure's head and torso and the pronounced marks at the lower corners have been removed; those areas of the plate appear to have been polished.