La Rétameuse |  Freer Gallery of Art (1898.213) | |
| Number: | 26 | |
| Date: | 1858 | |
| Medium: | etching | |
| Size: | 112 x 89 mm | |
| Signed: | 'Whistler.' at lower right (2) | |
| Inscribed: | 'Imp. Delatre. Rue St. Jacques. 171.' at lower left (2) | |
| Set/Publication: | 'French Set', 1858 | |
| No. of States: | 2 | |
| Known impressions: | 42 | |
| Catalogues: | K.14; M.11; T.3; W.5 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (42) | ||
TECHNIQUE
This was done in pure etching. The cross-hatched shading in the background consists of elaborate squiggly and curving lines to right, some following the curves of the figure and hat, as well as broader zigzags to left; there are much smaller, short and delicate strokes on the face.
PRINTING
Few impressions of the first state of La Rétameuse have been located. One is a good impression in a slightly warm coloured black ink on ivory laid paper, possibly taken from a book (
); another is in dark brown ink on 'modern' (post-1800) laid paper with a partial watermark (two joined semi-circles, ) and one on off-white wove paper ().
); another is in dark brown ink on 'modern' (post-1800) laid paper with a partial watermark (two joined semi-circles, ) and one on off-white wove paper ().Over thirty impression of the second state have been located. These include impressions in black ink on chine collé - that is, China paper laid down on off-white wove - () and on good quality thick Japanese paper, kaya or bamboo (). Most are in black ink, and the range of colour of the 'chine' is considerable, from ivory () to tan (, ). In addition there are impressions in dark brown () and black () inks on a range of western papers including cream 'modern' laid paper and ivory wove ().
) and on good quality thick Japanese paper, kaya or bamboo (). Most are in black ink, and the range of colour of the 'chine' is considerable, from ivory () to tan (, ). In addition there are impressions in dark brown () and black () inks on a range of western papers including cream 'modern' laid paper and ivory wove ().