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Seymour Haden, Jr, Seated

Impression: Hunterian Art Gallery
Hunterian Art Gallery
(46716)
Number: 9
Date: 1857/1858
Medium: etching
Size: 137 x 98 mm
Signed: 'J Whistler' at lower left (obscured by shading)
Inscribed: no
Set/Publication: no
No. of States: 3
Known impressions: 24
Catalogues: K.29; M.6; T.16; W.22
Impressions taken from this plate  (24)

TECHNIQUE

This etching was drawn with considerable variety of line, from scrawling crossed zigzag lines for the shadows to regular shading and cross-hatching on the clothes and fine wavy lines for his hair. The signs of burnishing and scratches remain visible and provide a certain texture to the background. Some scratches - the one across the boy's arm and jacket for instance - are a little obtrusive, and it is surprining this was not removed.

PRINTING

It is very likely that early impressions were printed by Auguste Delātre (1822-1907), and some impressions of the first state were acquired by French collectors (), or by Americans in Paris ().
There are over two dozen impressions of this etching in public collections, including three impressions of the first state. Most are in black ink, though some appear dark brown () possibly because of the colour of the paper.
They are on a variety of papers. First states are in black ink on cream laid paper with a partial watermark 'BARRY' (), on buff laid () and off-white laid with 'Auverne' watermark (). Several other laid papers have watermarks, such as a second state with 'A M' mark (), and third states with a hunting horn in a shield () and a 'modern' (post-1800) paper with a partial watermark, 'GR' (). In addition several are on Japanese paper (), laid Asian (, ) and very thin Japan ().