The Venetian Mast | ||
Number: | 219 | |
Date: | 1879/1880 | |
Medium: | etching and drypoint | |
Size: | 344 x 166 mm | |
Signed: | butterfly at left (6-final) | |
Inscribed: | no | |
Set/Publication: | 'First Venice Set', 1880 | |
No. of States: | 12 | |
Known impressions: | 57 | |
Catalogues: | K.195; M.192; W.160 | |
Impressions taken from this plate (57) |
KEYWORD
child, dress, garden, lacemakers, people, street, tree, woman, worker.
TITLE
There are several minor variations in the title, as follows:
'The Venetian Mast' (1880, F.A.S.). 1
'The Mast' (1886, Frederick Wedmore (1844-1921)). 2
'The Mast' (1887/1888, Whistler). 3
'The Venetian Mast' (1909, Howard Mansfield (1849-1938)). 4
The original title 'The Venetian Mast' is preferable.
'The Venetian Mast' (1880, F.A.S.). 1
'The Mast' (1886, Frederick Wedmore (1844-1921)). 2
'The Mast' (1887/1888, Whistler). 3
'The Venetian Mast' (1909, Howard Mansfield (1849-1938)). 4
The original title 'The Venetian Mast' is preferable.
DESCRIPTION
A view up a wide street, with three- and four-storey buildings on either side. A tall mast topped by a winged lion stands in the street, to right of centre, with halyards looped to a building at the left. In the foreground a boy stands leaning against a wall, with a group of women sitting working, either making lace or threading beads. At the right a man is walking away, and a boy stands at the foot of the mast. There are numerous figures in the distance, mostly clustered around a well, and trees at the far end of the street.
SITE
A view looking west up the Calle Larga dello Stendardo, dominated by a mast topped by the Lion of St Mark, in the San Marta area in the city of Venice, Italy. The end of the calle opened onto the Fondamenta de l'Arzere on the lagoon, and there, in front of the trees, was a smaller column, also bearing a Lion. The calle was demolished shortly afterwards, during the redevelopment of the whole area, and the column and mast were moved to the Campo San Nicolo dei Mendicoli. 5 Whistler etched a much smaller mast in The Little Mast 196.
5: Grieve 2000[more], pp. 54-56, fig. 42.