The Two Doorways |  Freer Gallery of Art (1891.1) | |
| Number: | 221 | |
| Date: | 1879/1880 | |
| Medium: | etching and drypoint | |
| Size: | 204 x 296 mm | |
| Signed: | butterfly at left (4-final) | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | 'First Venice Set', 1880 | |
| No. of States: | 13 | |
| Known impressions: | 54 | |
| Catalogues: | K.193; M.190; W.158 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (54) | ||
The copper plate is close in size to The Doorway [193]. Both plates are stamped on the verso with the oval stamp, 'HUGHES & KIMBER (LIMITED) / MANUFACTURERS / LONDON E.C.' Both were brought by Whistler from London to fulfil the Fine Art Society's commission for a set of twelve etchings, and were published in Venice, a Series of Twelve Etchings (the 'First Venice Set') in 1880.
The printing of the edition was not completed in Whistler's lifetime. The copper plate came with Whistler's estate to Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958), who arranged for the edition to be completed by Frederick Goulding (1842-1909). The plate was then cancelled. It was cancelled with irregular diagpnal lines and then with a large butterfly. Miss Philip gave the cancelled plate to the University of Glasgow in 1935.