Shipbuilder's Yard, Liverpool |  Art Institute of Chicago (1938.1932) | |
| Number: | 142 | |
| Date: | 1875 | |
| Medium: | drypoint | |
| Size: | 279 x 152 mm | |
| Signed: | butterfly at left (1-3); redrawn (3-final) | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | 'Cancelled Plates', 1879 | |
| No. of States: | 4 | |
| Known impressions: | 24 | |
| Catalogues: | K.146; M.144; W.121 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (24) | ||
STATE
Four states are known before cancellation.
State 1
Signed with a butterfly at centre left, near the left edge.
In the foreground is a man wearing a long coat and round-topped hat.
State 2
The man is nearly burnished out, and replaced with a man standing with his legs apart; the sky is strengthened at the left, above the shipping; a short broken line indicates a cloud to left of the pole; more shading is added on the scaffolding at right;.
State 3
The outer line of the butterfly is redrawn.
Five new tall masts are added at left along the horizon; there is additional work on the other ships, adding yards and sails, darkening some of the masts and extending the reflections; some of the lines on the scaffolding have been strengthened and more lines and shading added; more smoke issues from the steamer at right.
State 4
The standing man has been almost wholly removed, and the edge of the quay drawn where he stood, with short vertical lines indicating shading on the bulkhead; there is a main upper top-sail yard on the ship nearest to the spectator, and higher masts on a vessel next to it, at the right.
State 4 (cancelled)
Cancelled with wide-spaced crossed diagonal lines.