C. L. Drouet, Sculptor |  Freer Gallery of Art (1889.27) | |
| Number: | 35 | |
| Date: | 1859 | |
| Medium: | etching and drypoint | |
| Size: | 226 x 152 mm | |
| Signed: | 'Whistler' at lower right, 'Whistler Maitre Eaufortier' at upper right | |
| Inscribed: | '1859.' at lower right; 'Drouet. Sculpteur.' at lower centre | |
| Set/Publication: | 'Cancelled Plates', 1879 | |
| No. of States: | 2 | |
| Known impressions: | 73 | |
| Catalogues: | K.55; M.55; T.55; W.53 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (73) | ||
Whistler dated Drouet, Sculpteur '1859' on the copper plate. He was in Paris between January and May 1859, and again briefly from 5 October.
It is one of several portraits dating from the same year, including Bibi Valentin 034, Bibi Lalouette 033, Z. Astruc, Editor of 'L'Artiste' 036, Whistler with a hat 044, Fumette standing 059, Fumette's Bent Head 058 and Finette 061.
Lochnan suggests that the drypoint portraits were done in 'the autumn of 1859' shortly after Francis Seymour Haden, Sr (1818-1910) began to use the medium successfully. 1 However, Whistler was in Paris for a longer period in the Spring, so that is also possible.
1: Lochnan 1984[more], p. 102.