The Steps, Amsterdam

1889

James McNeill Whistler

Associated Names
James McNeill Whistler

Artist, American, 1834 - 1903

This is a drawing of a waterfront house. The drawing shows an architectural scene with a house by a canal edge, with reflections in the water. The house has various textures like old masonry and hanging fabrics. Stairs lead up to a platform near the entryway. The drawing has intricate details with fine linework to depict reflections and patterns.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching and drypoint in dark brown on Asian tissue, mounted on off-white paperboard

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    plate: 24.1 x 16.2 cm (9 1/2 x 6 3/8 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1943.3.8639

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    MacDonald 2012, no. 452, state iv/v

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(H. Wunderlich & Co., New York, stock no. a 60040). Theodore de Witt, New York. Bought 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.

1994

  • James McNeill Whistler, Tate Gallery, London; Musée d'Orsay, Paris; National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1994-1995, no. 164.

Bibliography

1910

  • Kennedy, Edward G. The Etched Work of Whistler. New York: Grolier Club, 1910, no. 403, iii/iv.

1994

  • James McNeill Whistler. Exh. cat. Tate Gallery, London; Musée d'Orsay, Paris; National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1994-1995: no. 164.

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. 452, state iv/v.

Inscriptions

on plate: (butterfly); on tab: (butterfly) imp; lower left on the backboard: To / George Henschel-; lower left on verso: a 60040

Watermarks

none

Wikidata ID

Q65022057

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