UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

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Fumette

Impression: Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
(1934.542)
Number: 12
Date: 1858
Medium: etching
Size: 163 x 109 mm
Signed: 'Whistler' at lower right (2-final)
Inscribed: 'Imp. Delatre. Rue St. Jacques, 171' at lower left (5)
Set/Publication: 'French Set', 1858
No. of States: 5
Known impressions: 75
Catalogues: K.13; M.15; T.12; W.18
Impressions taken from this plate  (75)

TECHNIQUE

Fumette is entirely etched. There appears to be pale open bite around the figure in the first state.

PRINTING

The proofs of the first () and second () state were printed in black ink on wove card. The unique first proof was inscribed by Whistler '"Fumette" / 1st State -'. The only extant impression of the third state, also in black, is on cream 'antique' (pre-1800) laid paper ().
Impressions of the etching as published were printed on a variety of papers in dark brown or black ink, for instance in black ink on chine collé (, ), on tan Japan () and on off-white laid paper watermarked 'M & L / Fine Copy/ 1814' (); in brown ink on ivory paper with the watermark of a Strasbourg Lily above cursive 'J' above '1820' () and in dark brown ink on 'modern' (post-1800) cream laid paper with a Scallop shell watermark ().