Whistler with the White Lock by James Abbott McNeill Whistler

Whistler with the White Lock by James Abbott McNeill Whistler

Whistler with the White Lock

James Abbott McNeill Whistler

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Title

Whistler with the White Lock

 
Artist
Year
between 1876 and 1879 
Technique
etching and drypoint 
Image Size
4 11/16 x 3 1/8" platemark and paper 
Signature
unsigned, as usual 
Edition Size
From first printing of around 18 impressions. Glasgow notes 34 known impressions, which includes 16  
Annotations
 
Reference
Glasgow 162, Kennedy 172; M.169; Gr. 143; W.142 
Paper
cream laid 
State
i/i, published 
Publisher
artist and the Fine Art Society; Wunderlich for the second printing 
Inventory ID
JMAE104 
Price
$4,500.00 
Description

"Whistler with the White Lock" is an intaglio; an etching and drypoint, done between 1876 and 1879. The platemark and paper measure 4-11/16 x 3-1/8". This impression is unsigned, as is usual. It was first published and printed in 1879 by the artist and the Fine Art Society in the Cancelled Plates set, in an edition of around 18. This impression is printed on a sheet of cream laid paper that is trimmed to the platemark and has a "tab" at the bottom, which is not signed. According to the Glasgow raisonné:

"... in 1889, the copper plate was acquired by H. Wunderlich & Co., New York and printed again in an edition of sixteen, of which seven have been identified. It was printed very carefully and impressions appear stronger than earlier impressions, partly because some of them are on colored papers". After this printing, the plate was canceled using deep widely spaced crossed lines.

References for this intaglio include: Glasgow 162, i/i; Kennedy 172; Mansfield 169; Wedmore 142.

This is the first image depicting Whistler with the white lock of hair that became one of his trademarks. The first printing was lightly printed, as this is, and was published as a set in the "Cancelled Plates" in 1879 by The Fine Art Society, London, despite being not canceled, just unfinished. This impression was trimmed to the platemark and a tab was left in the lower left to add a butterfly but was not signed. A photo of the print with the tab is available here.

The plates for the Cancelled Plates set were purchased and printed again in 1889 by H. Wunderlich, New York in an edition of 16. These impressions were more carefully inked and are stronger despite being the same state.

The Hunterian Museum at the University of Glasgow notes: "This is one of several self-portraits, including 'Portrait of Whistler' 005, 'Whistler with a hat' 044 and 'Head of Whistler' 318. The white lock is conspicuous in photographs such as those reproduced here. It was a genetic trait, Waardenburg syndrome, shared with his sister Deborah Delano Haden (1825-1908)..."

 

Please call us at 707-546-7352 or email artannex@aol.com to purchase this item.