18 / 200
333
●
JAMES A. M.WHISTLER
Nocturne
.
Lithograph on blue laid
appliqué
on heavy cream wove paper,
1878. 172x258 mm; 6
3
/
4
x10
1
/
4
inches, full margins. Second state
(of 2). Edition of approximately 100 printed on light blue laid
appliqué
, this likely an early proof for
Notes
, with the pencil
signature. Signed in pencil, lower right.A brilliant, richly-inked
and atmospheric impression of this very scarce, early and
important lithograph.
Spink notes that all but one known impression of the second
state are printed in black on blue laid
appliqué
. According to
the catalogue
raisonné
, the only other known impression of the
second state not printed on light blue laid
appliqué
is in the
Cincinnati Art Museum (though another similar impression,
separate from the current impression, sold at Swann, April 28,
2011, sale 2245, lot 217).
Spink cites only three signed impressions, all in the first state,
and adds that, “It is not clear if the entire edition was printed
in 1878/79, when an unsuccessful attempt was made to enlist
subscribers for Whistler’s
Art Notes
series, or if most of the
impressions were pulled in 1887 for the revamped portfolio
project,
Notes
. The existence of a number of proofs signed in
graphite on the plate paper with Whistler’s name rather than
the butterfly monogram suggests that at least part of the edition
was printed in 1879, when it was still his practice to sign his
work this way,” (
The Lithographs of James McNeill Whistler
,
Chicago, 1998, volume I, page 63).
An extremely scarce, early
lithograph.Wehave found only 12
other impressions of this subject at auction in the past 30 years.
Way 5; Levy 11; Spink 8.
[20,000/30,000]