The Piano |  Freer Gallery of Art (1904.58) | |
| Number: | 144 | |
| Date: | 1875-1877 | |
| Medium: | drypoint and open bite | |
| Size: | 236 x 160 mm | |
| Signed: | butterfly at left (3-final) | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | 'Cancelled Plates', 1879 | |
| No. of States: | 7 | |
| Known impressions: | 26 | |
| Catalogues: | K.141; M.139; W.117 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (26) | ||
STATE
Seven states are known before cancellation.
State 1
There is no signature or inscription.
There is hardly any shading in the background.
State 2
Panelling and pictures are added in the background, and shadows under the piano at left, and around the figure; light slanting shading is added on the skirt.
State 3
Signed with a butterfly at left, above centre.
New work includes numerous vertical lines across the top and right; fine horizontal and diagonal shading on both sides of the head; and vertical lines below her arms, to left of earlier lines.
State 4
The outline of the piano is extended to left; six vertical lines are added to left of the shadows under the piano; very fine vertical lines shade the cartouche behind the butterfly.
State 5
The woman's face and the top of her head have been lightly reworked, so that the nose is defined more clearly, and she looks more serious; a short diagonal line is added at the top of her fringe.
In the impression reproduced there is also a small diagonal smudge of ink in the background to left of her face.
State 6
A patch of vertical lines is added in the background panelling to upper left of her head; a row of short diagonal lines is added to the shading to right of her knee; the diagonal line at the top of her fringe has been removed or has worn down.
State 7
A row of short vertical lines is added in the background above the butterfly; the short diagonal lines shading the skirt at right are extended further; long diagonal lines cross earlier shading on the top of her skirt and her left arm; fine, close diagonal shading is added in the background to right of the figure and around her head; long vertical shading under the figure at right is extended.
State 7 (cancelled)
Cancelled with wide-spaced crossed diagonal lines across the figure.