Whistler, James A. M. THE DRAPED FIGURE SEATED. Spink 72, Way 46, Levy 74. Lithograph, 1893. From the lifetime printing of by Way of about 45 impressions, outside of the edition of 107 printed for L'Estampe Originale (There was also a posthumous edition of 45 impressions printed by Goulding in 1904 . Signed with the butterfly in pencil, lower center. 7 3/8 x 6 1/2 inches, 186 x 162 mm. (image), 10 5/8 x 8 1/8 inches (sheet). Printed on laid paper, with part of a watermark showing. In excellent condition. Andre Marty, the publisher of L'Estampe Originale solicited a print from Whistler for inclusion in the work. Whistler provided a group of five drawings on lithographic transfer paper, and asked Marty to have Way make prints of each. Whistler vacillated among several of the images before selecting "The Draped Figure Seated." Way put his printed name, and also numbered each of the impressions he printed for the edition of 107 for Marty (100 for the publication; 7 to be deposited with Government agencies). All of the Marty impressions are pencil signed by Whistler with the butterfly. Additionally, Way printed a number, believed to be about 45, for Whistler's use, without Way's printed signature and without numbering, which were also pencil signed by Whistler, of which this example is one. Like Vitre, The Canal, this image makes significant use of "stumping."
