The Dutchman Holding A Glass |  Freer Gallery of Art (1898.210) | |
| Number: | 4 | |
| Date: | 1857 | |
| Medium: | etching | |
| Size: | 82 x 56 mm | |
| Signed: | 'J. W.' at lower right | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | no | |
| No. of States: | 2 | |
| Known impressions: | 4 | |
| Catalogues: | K.4; M.3; T.- | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (4) | ||
TECHNIQUE
The mask-like features of the woman are drawn in a schematic way, while the man's face is drawn in detail, but with such complex cross-hatching that it almost conceals his features. Zigzag and cross-hatched shading is used on both the figures and background.
Wedmore commented: 'There are but two or three impressions of it, and it has that tentative air which the artist's work was almost immediately to lose.' 11 Considering the boldness of the line, this seems an odd comment.
11: Wedmore 1886 A[more] (cat. no. 3).
There is some pitting and scratching on the plate and burnishing was used to clean up the bench at lower right ().
PRINTING
The only impression of the first state is in black ink on off-white wove paper, cleanly wiped, and very crisp in line (). Of the three surviving examples of the second state, one is in black ink on greenish grey laid paper with a partial watermark (), another on light blue 'modern' (post-1800) laid paper () and the third on bluish off-white laid paper (). They were printed with very light tone. The plate eventually shows some evidence of pitting and foul biting at the corners (see ).