Venice |  Freer Gallery of Art (1904.294) | |
| Number: | 213 | |
| Date: | 1879/1880 | |
| Medium: | etching | |
| Size: | 200 x 293 mm | |
| Signed: | no | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | no | |
| No. of States: | 1 | |
| Known impressions: | 4 | |
| Catalogues: | K.231; M.228 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (4) | ||
TECHNIQUE
This is an etching, with no drypoint additions. One impression is extensively worked over in grey ink and brush indicating possible changes and additions to the composition, including shading on the sail to the left of Santa Maria della Salute in the centre, the clouds, the gondolas and shading on the water (). None of these changes were carried out.
PRINTING
Only five or six impressions were printed. Three bear related inscriptions, probably written by early owners. One, possibly written by Otto Henry Bacher (1856-1909), reads ''Venice Oct 25 80 Plate destroyed - Rare - only 5 proofs' (). Another, possibly by Samuel Putnam Avery (1822-1904), reads 'Venice - Plate destroyed by Whistler in Venice after printing 5 or 6 proofs -' (). Finally, an inscription on an impression owned by George Aloysius Lucas (1824-1909) reads 'not catalogued / plate destroyed / only 6 proofs taken - all states - / Venice' (). The sellers of these impressions were clearly determined to let collectors know how rare the etchings were.
It was printed in black ink on cream paper (); off-white wove (, ) and ivory laid paper (). All but one () are stained, discoloured or damaged.