Wild West: The Orator |  Hunterian Art Gallery (46918) | |
| Number: | 294 | |
| Date: | 1887 | |
| Medium: | etching | |
| Size: | 128 x 178 mm | |
| Signed: | butterfly at lower right | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | no | |
| No. of States: | 1 | |
| Known impressions: | 6 | |
| Catalogues: | K.313; M.310 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (6) | ||
TECHNIQUE
It was drawn on site and etched - it is pure etching - back in the studio. The Pennells commented:
'The London plates are mostly simple in subject, and they
have been therefore frequently dismissed as unimportant.
But many are most delightfully composed, while the detail
in the little figures is full of observation. The subjects
show that they were rapidly done. Whistler, carrying the
small plates about with him, sketched the subjects he
found on copper as other artists sketch on paper. Three
were made at Buffalo Bill's Wild West probably in an afternoon'. 14
14: Pennell 1908, pp. 81-82.
PRINTING
Two impressions of Wild West: The Orator are in black ink on laid paper with an Arms of Amsterdam watermark (
and ), printed with light tone. Two are in dark brown ink with pale tone on ivory 'antique' (pre-1800) laid paper (, ), the latter with a Hunting horn watermark. All are printed with light overall tone, sometimes more at the edges. The plate appears to have a slightly pitted surface, providing a dusty atmospheric effect. Most are trimmed to the platemark and signed on the tab with a butterfly and 'imp.' to show that Whistler had printed them, but one is signed on the back, someone having trimmed off the tab by mistake () and another is signed on the recto but not trimmed () as if someone else was supposed to trim them, but did not complete the job properly.
and ), printed with light tone. Two are in dark brown ink with pale tone on ivory 'antique' (pre-1800) laid paper (, ), the latter with a Hunting horn watermark. All are printed with light overall tone, sometimes more at the edges. The plate appears to have a slightly pitted surface, providing a dusty atmospheric effect. Most are trimmed to the platemark and signed on the tab with a butterfly and 'imp.' to show that Whistler had printed them, but one is signed on the back, someone having trimmed off the tab by mistake () and another is signed on the recto but not trimmed () as if someone else was supposed to trim them, but did not complete the job properly.