The Piano |  Freer Gallery of Art (1904.58) | |
| Number: | 144 | |
| Date: | 1875-1877 | |
| Medium: | drypoint and open bite | |
| Size: | 236 x 160 mm | |
| Signed: | butterfly at left (3-final) | |
| Inscribed: | no | |
| Set/Publication: | 'Cancelled Plates', 1879 | |
| No. of States: | 7 | |
| Known impressions: | 26 | |
| Catalogues: | K.141; M.139; W.117 | |
| Impressions taken from this plate (26) | ||
Recto, above; verso, below:
The copper plate bears the maker's oval stamp: 'HUGHES & KIMBER / MANUFACTURERS / LONDON E.C.'
It is close in size to two figure studies - Tillie: A Model 113 and Miss Alexander 117 - and two scenes - The Beach, Hastings 150 and London Bridge 172.
The copper plate was cancelled with crossed diagonal lines. It was probably among plates bought at Whistler's bankruptcy sale by the Fine Art Society, London. It was published in an album of Cancelled Plates ('Cancelled Set') by The Fine Art Society, London, 1879.
The plate was probably among those acquired in exchange for lithographs from Robert Dunthorne (b. ca 1851) by Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958). 10 The plate was given by Whistler's sister-in-law Miss Philip to the University of Glasgow in 1935.
10: Note by R. Birnie Philip, inserted in the album, Hunterian Art Gallery.