Etching printed on ‘antique’ laid paper, 1858
As in Reading by Lamplight above, Deborah Haden is reading by lamplight, but this time she is joined by her husband Seymour (left) and his medical partner James Reeves Traer. The setting is the music room at the Hadens’ house in Sloane Street. Using the press installed at the top of the house, Whistler printed proofs on a wide variety of papers, leaving a varied amount of ink on the surface of the plate. This impression is printed on the sort of Dutch ‘antique’ laid paper that Whistler preferred (with Japanese paper) for its golden tone and quality.
The Hadens’ music room, but with Deborah and Annie at the piano, was the subject of one of Whistler’s first two paintings submitted to the Paris Salon in the following year.
Given by Harold J. L. Wright 1923
Collections record: P.2095-R
