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Venus

Impression: Freer Gallery of Art
Freer Gallery of Art
(1898.295)
Number: 60
Date: 1859
Medium: etching and drypoint
Size: 153 x 230 mm
Signed: 'Whistler.' at lower left
Inscribed: '1859.' at lower left
Set/Publication: no
No. of States: 2
Known impressions: 27
Catalogues: K.59; M.59; T.27; W.56
Impressions taken from this plate  (27)

TECHNIQUE

This is an etching, with a very little drypoint added to shade the area at upper right in the second state.

PRINTING

Less than ten impressions of the first state have been located, but there are over twenty of the second state. This is a surprising number, given that the etching was not exhibited by Whistler. It seems possible that at least some of the impressions of the second state were printed in the 1890s or even after Whistler's death.
Impressions of the first state are on a variety of papers. Three are on wove paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0590102, Graphic with a link to impression #K0590103, Graphic with a link to impression #K0590z01). These were definitely printed in Whistler's lifetime. Other impressions are on ivory Japan (Graphic with a link to impression #K0590z04) and dark ivory laid paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0590108).
Most impressions of the second state are on japanese paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0590204, Graphic with a link to impression #K0590212, Graphic with a link to impression #K0590214) including one that was definitely printed in Whistler's lifetime, and is on an off-white laid Japan 'Kozo' paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0590203). Two are on a 'modern' (post-1800) laid paper (Graphic with a link to impression #K0590202, Graphic with a link to impression #K0590213) with a slightly unclear watermark, possibly 'J COLES / 1811' or 'J.COLES 1841') and it can be assumed that these were printed at the same time, but it is not possible to date these impressions.
The copper plate was steel-faced and it is likely that it was printed after Whistler's death.