Sketching |  Freer Gallery of Art (1898.316) | |
| Number: | 83 | |
| Date: | 1861 | |
| Medium: | etching and drypoint | |
| Size: | 120 x 166 mm | |
| Signed: | 'Whistler - ' at lower right (1-3); partly removed (4-final) | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | Junior Etching Club, 1862 | |
| No. of States: | 6 | |
| Known impressions: | 35 | |
| Catalogues: | K.86; M.87; T.86; W.69 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (35) | ||
TECHNIQUE
The main composition was etched but then it was strengthened in drypoint throughout, to achieve a slightly richer effect.
PRINTING
Whistler worked on this etching in the printing workshop of Day & Son Ltd in London. An impression of the first state was annotated by the artist 'Proof pulled myself in Day's, wants retouching - ready in a day or so.' 14 This impression has not been located.
The second state, 'retouched' by Whistler, was printed with burr on early impressions, on, for example, ivory wove (); off-white wove (); chine collé (); and light weight, cream Asian paper laid down on heavy weight, ivory plate paper (). All extant impressions are printed on black ink.
Regarding the publication of this etching by Day & Son Ltd, Frederick Goulding (1842-1909) told the Pennells:
The second state, 'retouched' by Whistler, was printed with burr on early impressions, on, for example, ivory wove (); off-white wove (); chine collé (); and light weight, cream Asian paper laid down on heavy weight, ivory plate paper (). All extant impressions are printed on black ink.
Regarding the publication of this etching by Day & Son Ltd, Frederick Goulding (1842-1909) told the Pennells:
14: American Art Association, Masterpieces of Engraving and Etching ... Collection of Henry Graves, Jr., New York City, Anderson Art Galleries, 3 April 1936 (lot. no. 64).
'What can I say about Whistler printing? I mind me I
first knew him about 1859, when he used to come to the printing
house where I was apprenticed (the old firm of Day and Son
in Gate Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields) and print himself at my
father's press. I used some times to act as his "devil"
grinding
the ink, and turning the press, and so on.
/ I think the first plate I actually
"proved" for him was in
1861 - The Punt -' 15
The publication actually appeared in 1862. Most examples of the third, published, state are on chine collé (i.e. , , ), and fourth states on wove paper (i.e. , , , ). Over thirty impressions are recorded in public art collections, but there are many more in public libraries and private collections.