Dordrecht

1884

James McNeill Whistler

Associated Names
James McNeill Whistler

Artist, American, 1834 - 1903

The image shows sailing boats at various distances on the water. Two larger boats with masts and visible sails are closest to us, one to the right and one to the left. The horizon, with the details of a shoreline, buildings, and trees, is visible as a thin line. The horizon aligns with the tops of structures in the distance, emphasizing a coastal settlement. The artwork is a line drawing with light, hasty brushstrokes, creating a sense of sketch-like immediacy and fluidity. The color palette is primarily natural tones with the dark ink lines providing contrast.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching and drypoint in dark brown on laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall (trimmed to plate): 15.2 × 22.7 cm (6 × 8 15/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1943.3.8567

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    MacDonald 2012, no. 259, state ii/ii

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

John H. Wrenn [1841- 1911], Chicago, (Lugt 1475). Art Institute of Chicago (acc. No. 35.397); de-accessioned. H. Wunderlich & Co., New York. Purchased November 7, 1929 by Lessing Julius Rosenwald [1891-1971], Philadelphia, (Lugt 1760b); gift to National Gallery of Art, 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. 242, 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. 259, state ii/ii.

Inscriptions

on plate: (butterfly); on tab: (butterfly) imp; lower left on the verso (deaccessioned from the Art Institute of Chicago): AIC/24656; lower left on the verso: ix-; lower left on verso: a 35.397

Watermarks

top of Strasbourg Lily

Wikidata ID

Q65021983

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