The Desk |  British Museum (1907-04-08-2) | |
| Number: | 129 | |
| Date: | 1874/1876 | |
| Medium: | drypoint | |
| Size: | 216 x 139 mm | |
| Signed: | no | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | no | |
| No. of States: | 5 | |
| Known impressions: | 6 | |
| Catalogues: | K.133; M.131; W.104 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (6) | ||
TECHNIQUE
Drypoint, started with light lines, which faded, and were reinforced with much stronger lines. In the unique impression of the final state, printed with uneven inky tone, Whistler made some modifications in wash but it is not clear if they were carried out before he cancelled the plate.
PRINTING
There may have been a print-run of around ten, including two from the cancelled plate. All were printed in black ink. The first state was printed on cream laid paper with a 'PRO PATRIA' watermark, removed from a book, and with an old Latin inscription on the verso (
). This was followed by impressions on cream laid paper, one with a foolscap watermark () and another with 'SH' or 'HS' countermark (). A late impression, heavily worked in wash (altering and enlarging the head) and printed with a rough area of tone, was printed on lustrous off-white paper, possibly Japanese ().
). This was followed by impressions on cream laid paper, one with a foolscap watermark () and another with 'SH' or 'HS' countermark (). A late impression, heavily worked in wash (altering and enlarging the head) and printed with a rough area of tone, was printed on lustrous off-white paper, possibly Japanese ().It was printed, possibly with the intention of publishing it with the 'Cancelled Set' by the Fine Art Society, London, in 1879 (), but it was not published with the set. Only two impressions from the cancelled plate were printed, both in black ink on cream wove paper ().
), but it was not published with the set. Only two impressions from the cancelled plate were printed, both in black ink on cream wove paper ().