Irving as Philip of Spain, No. 1 |  Freer Gallery of Art (1903.267) | |
| Number: | 158 | |
| Date: | 1876/1877 | |
| Medium: | drypoint | |
| Size: | 228 x 153 mm | |
| Signed: | no | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | no | |
| No. of States: | 4 | |
| Known impressions: | 6 | |
| Catalogues: | K.170; M.167; W.139 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (6) | ||
TECHNIQUE
Bold patches of drypoint shading fill the background, and smaller patches suggest strong lighting on the costume. The outlines are repeated many times and broken lines indicate details. The hands and feet are not finished. The proofs were very roughly wiped, and look dramatic, with dark areas of surface ink around the figure, and rich burr on the shading. The edges of the proofs are marked by foul biting and finger prints.
PRINTING
Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) bought the sole known impression of the first state (
). It was printed in black ink on ivory laid paper with the De Erven De Blauw watermark. Only one impression of the second state has been located (). Also in black, this is on watermarked cream laid paper. Unfortunately no impressions of the third or fourth state have been found () and indeed the fourth state is known only from the cancelled plate.
). It was printed in black ink on ivory laid paper with the De Erven De Blauw watermark. Only one impression of the second state has been located (). Also in black, this is on watermarked cream laid paper. Unfortunately no impressions of the third or fourth state have been found () and indeed the fourth state is known only from the cancelled plate.There is a single impression from the cancelled plate, showing that the drypoint lines still printed with some burr, but the burr was uneven
(). It was printed in black ink on cream wove paper. It is possible that the Fine Art Society intended to include it in the set of cancelled plates published in 1879, but rejected it in favour of Irving as Philip of Spain, No. 2 [159], which was further developed.
). It was printed in black ink on cream wove paper. It is possible that the Fine Art Society intended to include it in the set of cancelled plates published in 1879, but rejected it in favour of Irving as Philip of Spain, No. 2 [159], which was further developed.