Limehouse |  Freer Gallery of Art (1888.33) | |
| Number: | 48 | |
| Date: | 1859 | |
| Medium: | etching and drypoint | |
| Size: | 128 x 204 mm | |
| Signed: | 'Whistler' at lower right | |
| Inscribed: | '1859' at lower right | |
| Set/Publication: | 'Thames Set', 1871 | |
| No. of States: | 6 | |
| Known impressions: | 82 | |
| Catalogues: | K.40; M.39; T.39; W.37 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (82) | ||
STATE
Six states are known before cancellation.
State 1
Signed and dated 'Whistler, 1859.' at lower right, on the barge.
The composition is complete. There are short vertical lines extend below the heavy shading on the side of the barge's hold in the foreground.
The impression reproduced has not been located. It appears to have a smear of ink at upper right to left of the bow-fronted building. The reproduction is not entirely clear and some changes described in State 2 below - the burnishing and light shading in the sky - may in fact have been present in the first state. 15
The impression reproduced has not been located. It appears to have a smear of ink at upper right to left of the bow-fronted building. The reproduction is not entirely clear and some changes described in State 2 below - the burnishing and light shading in the sky - may in fact have been present in the first state. 15
15: Wedmore wrote: 'Mr Anderson Rose also had an impression before the work on the barges in the distance to the left.' Wedmore 1886 A (cat. no. 37). It is not clear what he meant.
State 2
Light slanting lines shade the area below the heavy vertical shading in the barge's hold; diagonal lines outline the reflections of the posts at lower left; there are light horizontal drypoint lines behind the shipping at left and extensive burnishing marks in the sky.
State 3
The vertical lines and light slanting shading have been reduced, and slightly slanting lines cross and extend the darkest shading on the barge; new drypoint lines are added to the posts and their reflections; the signs of burnishing are mostly removed.
State 4
Slanting drypoint lines, both left-to-right (\\\) and vice versa, depict clouds between and above the tall masts.
Published in the 'Thames Set' in 1871 in this and the subsequent state.
State 5
The drypoint lines in the sky have faded or been reduced; it is not certain that this is a new state in the strict definition of the word, but it does look quite different with the paler sky.
Published in the 'Thames Set' in 1871 in this and the previous state.
State 6
The corners of the plate appear to have been trimmed, and are slightly rounded.
State 6 (cancelled)
Cancelled with crossed diagonal lines.
The drypoint sky has mostly disappeared.