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Whistler's first major suite of prints, his 'French Set' brought critical acclaim but disappointing sales.  Seeking more generous patrons, he moved to London in 1859. Initially under the influence of his brother-in-law Francis Seymour Haden, a pioneer of the 'etching revival', he began a series of superbly observed and finely detailed views of the River Thames with its shipping, thriving wharves and picturesque characters. In his 'Thames Set' etchings Whistler often introduced the figures of workmen, boatmen or loungers in the foregrounds. Here, however, the figure - 'W. Jones, Lime-burner of Thames Street' - is made the central element, while the view to the river beyond becomes almost incidental.","physicalDescription":"Etching by James Whistler, ‘The Lime-Burner’ from the Thames Set; etched 1859, early impression. Later impressions from the plate were printed and issued in 1871 as one of the ‘Sixteen Etchings of Scenes on the Thames, and Other Subjects,’ by Ellis and Green, 32 King Street, Covent Garden, in editions of one hundred. Signed and dated by the artist in plate. Multi-layered view through a large entrance into the courtyard and premises of a lime-burner, with a glimpse of the River Thames beyond. The focus of the composition is the figure of W. Jones, a lime-burner on Thames Street, who stands against a white wall amid the tools of his trade: ladders, barrels and a seive.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Whistler, James Abbott McNeill","id":"A8983"},"association":{"text":"printmaker","id":"AAT25164"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Delâtre, Auguste","id":"A4334"},"association":{"text":"printer (person)","id":"AAT25732"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"printing ink","id":"AAT187371"}],"techniques":[{"text":"etching (printing process)","id":"AAT53241"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Etching on 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The suite of prints were purchased for £10.10.10.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Etching by James Whistler, 'The Lime-Burner' from the Thames Set; etched 1859.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Wedmore, Frederick. <u>Whistler's Etchings, A Study and a Catalogue</u>. London: Colnaghi & Co, 1899. No.44, 1st state."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Kennedy, Edward G. <u>The Etched Work of Whistler</u>. San Francisco: Alan Wofsy Fine Arts, 1978. 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