The Menpes Children c.1887 |
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Original etching. Signed with the butterfly in the plate. Ref: Kennedy 261 S 265 x 204 mm; P & I 68 x 101 mm £750 |
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Excellent impression printed with delicate brown plate tone. In place as frontispiece in the deluxe edition of the book by Mortimer Menpes Whistler as I knew him (London, 1904), as first issued.
Mortimer L. Menpes was, with Walter Sickert, one of the most devoted of Whistler’s followers and for many years the two artists were close friends. However, Whistler became resentful of Menpes’ personal success as an artist and abandoned him, taking his followers with him. Despite this, Menpes went on to produce this standard work on Whistler’s life, published immediately after “the Master’s” death, using (as frontispiece) the plate which had been etched of his children shortly before his separation from Whistler’s group.
On cream laid paper with full margins, in place as issued. Excellent original condition. Outer binding stained and somewhat distressed, in all other respects the volume is in very good original condition. |
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