Walter Greaves

Original Walter Greaves etching with drypoint.

Unique working proof, extensively retouched by the artist in pencil and black wash.

A very rich, heavily inked working proof of this highly Whistlerian portrait. Extremely few touched working proofs by Walter Greaves are still known to exist.

No other artist was as heavily influenced by Whistler and his style than Walter Greaves. The close association between the Greaves brothers and their neighbour, Whistler is well documented and it is clear that the attachment which Walter developed for everything associated with Whistler bordered on obsession.

Walter Greaves's work as a printmaker is known primarily through his Chelsea views which were reprinted in portfolios on a number of occasions; however, his most sensitive and truly Whistlerian work is in his rare portrait etchings and drypoints. Only a very few proofs of these works were ever printed, apparently for his own personal interest alone. This early studio proof impression is one of the very few examples of these works now known.

On deep cream laid paper, with full margins and deckle edge. Some surface dirt in outer margins. Generally very good condition for a studio working proof of this nature.