Whistler with a hat |  Hunterian Art Gallery (46744) | |
| Number: | 44 | |
| Date: | 1859 | |
| Medium: | drypoint | |
| Size: | 229 x 154 mm | |
| Signed: | 'Whistler.' at lower right | |
| Inscribed: | '1859.' at lower right | |
| Set/Publication: | 'Cancelled Plates', 1879 | |
| No. of States: | 3 | |
| Known impressions: | 36 | |
| Catalogues: | K.54; M.54; T.65; W.52 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (36) | ||
TECHNIQUE
This is one of a number of drypoints, which are the first by Whistler in the medium, dating from 1859. Most are portraits, including Z. Astruc, Editor of 'L'Artiste' 036, Fumette's Bent Head 058, Finette 061, C. L. Drouet, Sculptor 035 and Arthur Haden 066.
PRINTING
There are at least twenty impressions on this drypoint, and there may have been as many again printed from the cancelled plate. The sole impression of the first state was printed in black ink with conspicuous, slightly irregular, burr (). An impression of the following state (State 1b) was printed in black ink on cream Japan and was given by Whistler to his mother (). 14
The main print-run was fairly evenly divided between the two later states. Some impressions are in dark brown ink on both Japanese () and western laid () paper. However, it was usually printed in black ink, on laid western paper (, ), a fine, light-weight laid paper (), and on Asian paper (, ).
The main print-run was fairly evenly divided between the two later states. Some impressions are in dark brown ink on both Japanese () and western laid () paper. However, it was usually printed in black ink, on laid western paper (, ), a fine, light-weight laid paper (), and on Asian paper (, ).
14: After the Glasgow catalogue went online in 2012, a new state was discovered; the newly discovered state is State 1a, and the former State 1 is now State 1b.
The cancelled impressions were consistently printed in black ink on laid paper, sometimes with a watermark, Strasbourg Lily () or Van Gelder ().