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J. Becquet, Sculptor

Impression: Freer Gallery of Art
Freer Gallery of Art
(1898.284)
Number: 62
Date: 1859
Medium: etching and drypoint
Size: 257 x 194 mm
Signed: no
Inscribed: no
Set/Publication: 'Thames Set', 1871
No. of States: 6
Known impressions: 96
Catalogues: K.52; M.52; T.54; W.48
Impressions taken from this plate  (96)

TECHNIQUE

Although Lochnan discusses this as a drypoint, and the sweeping drypoint lines added in later states have dramatic impact, there is considerable etched work on the head as well as the etched outlines and some shading on the body and 'cello. 21

21: Lochnan 1984, pp. 103, 170, 278.

PRINTING

A very large edition was printed, possibly as many as a hundred. Kennedy stated: 'Only five impressions [of the first state] are known to me, and all of them were printed with a frisket.' 22 In fact now seven impressions of the first state have been located, printed with varying amounts of surface tone and burr, but always with a frisket - that is, a paper mask - so that only the central area of the image, including Becquet's head and body as far as the knees, was printed. Several were printed in black ink, one on a light green 'antique' (pre-1800) laid paper with a rectangular watermark (Graphic with a link to impression #K0520102); and another on a similar greenish laid paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0520105, Graphic with a link to impression #K0520110); others on cream 'antique' laid paper from a book, with a complex watermark of a mailed hand holding a trident, under a crown, with initials 'CD' (Graphic with a link to impression #K0520106); and finally on thin, poor-quality translucent ivory Japanese paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0520104). Two others are in brown ink, one on ivory 'modern' laid paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0520103); and one on a darkened cream laid paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0520107).

22: Kennedy 1910 (cat. no. 52).

The next two states, without the frisket, and so showing the whole plate, were printed in black ink a variety of papers including Japan (Graphic with a link to impression #K0520203); cream laid Japanese 'ganpi' paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0520305); and ivory 'antique' laid paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0520306). The fourth state was printed in black ink on cream and ivory Japan (Graphic with a link to impression #K0520z14, Graphic with a link to impression #K0520203).
This was followed by the main edition for the 'Thames Set' in 1871, mostly printed in black ink on ivory laid paper, often with the DE ERVEN DE BLAUW watermark (i.e. Graphic with a link to impression #K0520302, Graphic with a link to impression #K0520303, Graphic with a link to impression #K0520312); and 'DEDB' and beehive (Graphic with a link to impression #K0520309, Graphic with a link to impression #K0520336). Other watermarks included a Strasbourg Lily (Graphic with a link to impression #K0520308), 'SPAIN' (Graphic with a link to impression #K0520319); and a coat of arms below a crown and cross (Graphic with a link to impression #K0520324). Some papers were taken from a book or ledger, for instance 'antique' laid paper with blue edges (Graphic with a link to impression #K0520328). It was often printed with little tone on ivory laid paper (i.e. Graphic with a link to impression #K0520310) but sometimes with heavy inking and retroussage to accentuate the drypoint burr (i.e. Graphic with a link to impression #K0520308).
In the later print-run of the 'Thames Set' in the sixth state, printed in the 1870s by Frederick Goulding (1842-1909), similar heavy inking and retroussage was often used - expertly - to conceal the fading drypoint burr (Graphic with a link to impression #K0520405, Graphic with a link to impression #K0520z23). Many of these later impressions were printed on Asian papers, including cream (Graphic with a link to impression #K0520404, Graphic with a link to impression #K0520407), ivory (Graphic with a link to impression #K0520409), and pale tan Japan (Graphic with a link to impression #K0520415); thin Japanese tissue (Graphic with a link to impression #K0520413) and cream Asian laid paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0520313). One impression, which was owned by Becquet himself, was printed in black ink on cream wove paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0520402).
Some sixth state impressions may date from later, possibly as late as the 1890s. Cancelled impressions, of which there are at least five, are in black ink, some on ivory 'modern' laid paper with the Strasbourg Lily over 'WK' watermark (Graphic with a link to impression #K0520501, Graphic with a link to impression #K0520503).