Fumette's Bent Head |  Freer Gallery of Art (1898.287) | |
| Number: | 58 | |
| Date: | 1859 | |
| Medium: | drypoint | |
| Size: | 229 x 154 mm | |
| Signed: | 'Whistler.' at lower left (2) | |
| Inscribed: | '1859.' at lower left (2) | |
| Set/Publication: | 'Cancelled Plates', 1879 | |
| No. of States: | 2 | |
| Known impressions: | 20 | |
| Catalogues: | K.57; M.57; T.70; W.51 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (20) | ||
TECHNIQUE
Fumette's Bent Head is one of a small group of drypoints - Whistler's first drypoints - done in 1859. Most are portraits, namely Whistler with a hat 044, Z. Astruc, Editor of 'L'Artiste' 036, Finette 061, C. L. Drouet, Sculptor 035, and Arthur Haden 066.
PRINTING
It is very rare, with only four or five impressions before cancellation. In addition there may have been a print-run of twenty impressions from the cancelled plate.
Early proofs were printed in black ink on Japan paper (, , ).
Cancelled impressions were also printed in black ink, including one on cream wove paper (); several on cream 'modern' (post-1800) laid paper watermarked with a horned crown (, , ); and others on ivory laid paper (i.e. ), including one on medium-weight ivory laid paper with Strasbourg Lily watermark ().