The Little Venice (from the First Venice Set)

James Abbott McNeill Whistler

"The Little Venice", from the First Venice Set; 1880, G. 238; Kennedy 183; M.180; W.149: etching in black ink and plate tone on antique ivory laid paper with an 1814 / 2 watermark, signed with butterfly in plate, lower left; pencil signed with butterfly, lower left margin. 54 known impressions from 2 states; 7-1/4 x 10-5/16" platemark and 8-7/8 x 10-3/8" sheet. State 2 of 2. Plate not located. Titled and annotated "K. 183 only state" in bottom margin, recto.

Glasgow notes: Most impressions were in the second state, as printed for the Fine Art Society. Letters, lists, invoices and receipts document Whistler's edition of the twelve etchings of the 'First Venice Set' for the F.A.S. He delivered twenty impressions of The Little Venice on 16 February and three on 25 August 1881; one on 29 January and three on 7 February 1882.

The earliest of these, usually signed with a large, veined butterfly, within the margin, were mostly printed in black ink although a few are in dark brown ink. Papers include cream wove; off-white laid ivory Japan; glossy simile-Japanese ivory wove; ivory wove; and smooth cream wove paper.