The Title Page for “Douze Eaux Fortes d’après Nature” or the French Set
James Abbott McNeill Whistler
Description
Subject Matter:
This plate, showing Whistler himself drawing as he would have done on his walking trip in 1858, appears twice in this version 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, while also containing the blue paper wrapper with this image that characterized the French printing of the "French Set".
This "French Set" was owned by Seymour Haden's brother, Charles Sydenham Haden.
Physical Description:
A man in a broad-brimmed hat and a moustache sits sketching, his face largely in shadow. Around him are clustered groups of children absorbed in watching him draw. A single figure of a boy, standing slightly apart at the right, gazes out at the viewer.
Usage Rights:
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