On a small footbridge in the center of Nocturne: Palaces, a gas lamp glimmers feebly. Tucked between two buildings, it casts a pallid glow onto the nearby walls. Whistler’s evocative portrayal of an alley at night appeared in his Second Venice Set, an 1886 portfolio of 26 etchings based on his 1879 visit to the famed Italian city.

Multiple impressions of this work survive. Each is unique. When printing the edition, Whistler inked the copper plate differently with each impression, spreading fluid layers of ink wash across the surface of the plate with a rag or the palm of his hand. Each application of wash, known as plate tone, created its own distinct sensation of illumination: Some prints suggest the muted haze of dawn, dusk, or evening fog, others the cloaking darkness of midnight. In turn, Whistler’s manipulation of plate tone helped ensure the originality—and market value—of each individual print.

—Text taken from the Carter Handbook (2023).