Mme Pelletier, Blanchisserie, Paris |  Freer Gallery of Art (1904.16) | |
| Number: | 481 | |
| Date: | 1897/1898 | |
| Medium: | etching and drypoint | |
| Size: | 182 x 151 mm | |
| Signed: | butterfly at right | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | no | |
| No. of States: | 1 | |
| Known impressions: | 1 | |
| Catalogues: | K.438; M.438 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (1) | ||
Mme Pelletier, Blanchisserie, Paris dates from 1897/1898.
The form of the butterfly, which is shaded to indicate a butterfly in mourning, suggests this was etched after the death of Beatrice Whistler (1857-1896). A similar butterfly is seen on Carpet Menders, Paris [480].
On 11 November 1897 Edward Guthrie Kennedy (1849-1932) wrote to Whistler: 'It is time to finish the etchings of Paris now, so as to make some noise. Tell me what is going on, "busy" is somewhat vague.' 1
1: GUW #07292.
The copper plate, made by C. Servant in Paris, is similar to a small group of etching plates, namely
Confections pour Dames [475],
Café Corazza, Paris [484],
Antony's Print Shop, Rue de Seine [477],
Polichinelle, Jardin du Luxembourg [467],
Boulevard Poissonière, Paris [483], The Band, Luxembourg Gardens [466], Under the Statue, Luxembourg Gardens [464] (all of which date from the mid-to late 1890s), and Flaming Forge [490] and
Sleeping Child, Ajaccio [488] (both of which date from 1901).