The Title to the French Set; original paper wrappers of the set, one of the 'Twelve Etchings from Nature,' or the 'French Set" / James McNeill Whistler

About this Item

Record Details

Accession Number

1954/1.333

Title

The Title to the French Set; original paper wrappers of the set, one of the 'Twelve Etchings from Nature,' or the 'French Set"

Artist

James McNeill Whistler

Artist Nationality

American

Artist Life Dates

1834-1903

Medium and Support

etching and drypoint on on blue laid paper

Object Creation Date

1858

Credit Line

Bequest of Margaret Watson Parker

Inscription

On the plate, u.r.: Douze / Eaux Fortes / d'apres Nature / par / James Whistler; bottom center: A. / Mon viel Ami Seymour Haden.; u.r.: Imp. Delatre. Rue St. Jacques. 171. Paris. Nov. 1858 Collection (no mark): This set is from the collection of the late Sir Francis Seymour Haden's brother.

Dimensions

35.2 cm x 53.6 cm (13 7/8 in. x 21 1/8 in.)

Century

19th century

Physical Description

A man in a broad-brimmed hat and a moustache sits sketching, his fact largely in shadow. Around him are clustered groups of children absorbed in watching him drawing. A single figure of a boy, standing slightly apart at the right, gazes out at the viewer.

Subject Matter

This plate, showing Whistler himself drawing as he would have done on his walking trip in 1858, serves as the title page to the Paris version of the "French Set". This image was printed on the blue paper wrapper that contained the twelve loose prints of the "French Set". This particular intact and complete set was something of a hybrid because it contained this image (printed on white paper) as a 13th image to the set--a configuration found in the edition of the "French Set" that was published in London.

This "French Set" was owned by Seymour Haden's brother, Charles Sydenham Haden.

Primary Keywords

hats

seated

standing

Secondary Keywords

audiences

clothing

figures

objects

people and occupations

sketches

Rights

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Technical Details

Collection

University of Michigan Museum of Art

Image Size

1479 x 973

File Size

170 KB

Record

1954/1.333

Link to this Item

https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1954-sl-1.333/1954_1.333.jpg content_copy

Related Links

IIIF

Manifest

https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/manifest/musart:1954-SL-1.333:1954_1.333.JPG content_copy