Venus

1859

James McNeill Whistler

Associated Names
James McNeill Whistler

Artist, American, 1834 - 1903

The image shows a person lying on their side. They are reclined against draped fabric or pillows. The person has long, wavy hair and closed eyes. They are unclothed, with draped fabric around them. The background is loosely sketched with additional fabric and drapery. The image is rendered in a monochromatic tone with shading techniques emphasizing the figure and textiles.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching and drypoint on wove paper

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    plate: 14.9 x 22.2 cm (5 7/8 x 8 3/4 in.)
    sheet: 25.1 x 31.1 cm (9 7/8 x 12 1/4 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1943.3.8437

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    MacDonald 2012, no. 60, state i/ii

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Lessing Julius Rosenwald [1891-1971], Philadelphia, (Lugt 1760b); gift to NGA, 1943.  

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1931

  • Etchings, Lithographs, Original Drawings, and Autograph Letters by James A. McNeill Whistler, The Free Library of Philadelphia, 1931.

1994

  • James McNeill Whistler, Tate Gallery, London; Musée d'Orsay, Paris; National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1994-1995, no. 4.

Bibliography

1910

  • Kennedy, Edward G. The Etched Work of Whistler. New York: Grolier Club, 1910, no. 59, i/ii.

1994

  • James McNeill Whistler. Exh. cat. Tate Gallery, London; Musée d'Orsay, Paris; National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1994-1995: no. 4.

2012

  • MacDonald, Margaret F., Grischka Petri, Joanna Meacock.James McNeill Whistler: The Etchings, a catalogue raisonné. University of Glasgow on-line website at http://etchings.arts.gla.ac.uk. University of Glasgow, 2012: no. 60, state i/ii.

Inscriptions

on plate: Whistler. 1859; by later hands, lower right on recto: Rare first state; center on verso: 2.CHj[?]

Wikidata ID

Q65021854

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