Venus

1859

James McNeill Whistler

Associated Names
James McNeill Whistler

Artist, American, 1834 - 1903

The image shows a person lying down on their stomach, head turned slightly to the side, left arm resting alongside their body, right hand held near their face. The person's eyes appear closed, with textured, curly hair cascading around their face and shoulder. The person appears unclothed, with shading accentuating their body's contours. The background is a sketchy, textured surface indicating a bed or fabric pile, with diagonal lines behind the person hinting at depth or drapery. In the bottom left corner, there is a signature "Whistler" and a date "1859."

Media Options

This object’s media is free and in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images.
Not on view See artworks now on view

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching and drypoint on laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    plate: 15.24 x 22.86 cm (6 x 9 in.)
    sheet: 18.42 x 22.23 cm (7 1/4 x 8 3/4 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1943.3.8438

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    MacDonald 2012, no. 60, state ii/ii

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Lessing Julius Rosenwald [1891-1971], Philadelphia, (Lugt 1760b-c); 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.

Bibliography

1910

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

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 ii/ii.

Inscriptions

on plate: Whistler. 1859.

Wikidata ID

Q65021855

You may be interested in

Loading Results