Whistler's technique here is similar to that seen in lithographs such as La Belle Jardinière c101.
This drawing was found in the manuscript for 'Récréations Postales' by Stéphane Mallarmé (1842-1898), Section IX, and is on similar paper to the design for a stamp for the projected cover (Cupid letting a bird out of a cage [M.1341]). The paper has browned badly, and has a torn edge on the left.
Last updated: 8th December 2020 by Margaret