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Little Arthur

Impression: Freer Gallery of Art
Freer Gallery of Art
(1898.227)
Number: 8
Date: 1857/1858
Medium: etching
Size: 81 x 54 (K5) 57 x 48 mm
Signed: 'J.W.' at lower left (1-3); 'Whistler' at lower right (2-3); removed (4); 'Whistler' at lower left (4).
Inscribed: 'Imp. Delatre. Rue. St. Jacques. 171.' at lower left (3)
Set/Publication: 'French Set', 1858
No. of States: 4
Known impressions: 61
Catalogues: K.9; M.7; T.8; W.13
Impressions taken from this plate  (61)

STATE

Four states are known.

State 1

Etching: K0090102
Signed 'J.W.' at lower left, among the fibres of the rug.

State 2

Etching: K0090201
Signed 'Whistler.' (the 't' uncrossed) at lower right.

State 3

Etching: K0090302
Inscribed 'Imp. Delatre. Rue. St. Jacques.171.' at lower left.
Published in the 'French Set' in this state.

State 4

Etching: K0090505
Signed 'Whistler' at lower left.
The plate is cut down to 58 x 48 mm, eliminating the earlier signature and inscription; new left to right diagonals (\\\) are added to the top of the boy's left hand and wrist.
Kennedy described, but did not illustrate, a state with the plate reduced, but he made no mention of the new signature or additional work. It is unclear if he actually saw an impression of that state or if he was simply recording the change in plate size. As no impression conforming to Kennedy's description has been located, that state has been eliminated, and there are now four, rather than five, states. 10

10: Kennedy 1910[more] (cat. no. 9).