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Shipbuilder's Yard, Liverpool

Impression: Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
(1938.1932)
Number: 142
Date: 1875
Medium: drypoint
Size: 279 x 152 mm
Signed: butterfly at left (1-3); redrawn (3-final)
Inscribed: no
Set/Publication: 'Cancelled Plates', 1879
No. of States: 4
Known impressions: 24
Catalogues: K.146; M.144; W.121
Impressions taken from this plate  (24)

STATE

Four states are known before cancellation.

State 1

Etching: K1460102
Signed with a butterfly at centre left, near the left edge.
In the foreground is a man wearing a long coat and round-topped hat.

State 2

Etching: K1460202
The man is nearly burnished out, and replaced with a man standing with his legs apart; the sky is strengthened at the left, above the shipping; a short broken line indicates a cloud to left of the pole; more shading is added on the scaffolding at right;.

State 3

Etching: K1460204
The outer line of the butterfly is redrawn.
Five new tall masts are added at left along the horizon; there is additional work on the other ships, adding yards and sails, darkening some of the masts and extending the reflections; some of the lines on the scaffolding have been strengthened and more lines and shading added; more smoke issues from the steamer at right.

State 4

Etching: K1460302
The standing man has been almost wholly removed, and the edge of the quay drawn where he stood, with short vertical lines indicating shading on the bulkhead; there is a main upper top-sail yard on the ship nearest to the spectator, and higher masts on a vessel next to it, at the right.

State 4 (cancelled)

Etching: K1460402
Cancelled with wide-spaced crossed diagonal lines.