J. Becquet, Sculptor (The Fiddler) plate 8 from A Series of Sixteen Etchings of Scenes on the Thames

James Abbott McNeill Whistler

This portrait of Just Becquet (1829-1907), a sculptor and amateur musician, was done around 1860 when Whistler produced a number of fine drypoint portraits of artists and writers in Paris. Most of the plates were cancelled in 1879. This plate however, was included in 1871 with the "Sixteen Etchings" (also called the 'Thames Set') under the title "The Fiddler" (it was also called "Violocellist"). Whistler re-used a copper plate which had originally been etched by an unknown artist. Traces of the early etching are visible in the lower portion of the figure.

This image was evolved in a series of six states, this being the final state. All the states are illustrated and documented at the Whistler Project at the University of Glasgow at this link: http://etchings.arts.gla.ac.uk/catalogue/search/display/index.php?catno=K052&q=Becquet&xml=sta%3Cp%3E%3C/p%3E

Whistler exhibited an impression of "Becquet" at the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco. He exhibited by invitation and showed 38 etchings and lithographs.

This rich impression was likely printed by Frederick Goulding for the 'Thames Set' in the 1870's, many of these done on thin Japan paper, like this.