Rue de la Rochefoucault

1893

James McNeill Whistler

Associated Names
James McNeill Whistler

Artist, American, 1834 - 1903

James McNeill Whistler

Printer, American, 1834 - 1903

This is a drawing of a street scene in front of a set of storefronts. The image depicts a lively array of shop fronts along a street, with detailing capturing the rustic architecture and the bustling nature of shop business activities. The drawing appears to have been created with a light hand, using pen and ink. The scene features awnings above window displays, with signs written in French visible above the entrances. The shading is achieved through dense hatching, providing depth to the facade and adding a sense of shadow around the displays. The realism is understated, with an emphasis on the atmosphere and vibrancy of life on this street rather than precise detail.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching and drypoint on laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    plate (cut to plate mark): 13.1 × 22 cm (5 3/16 × 8 11/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1943.3.8652

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    MacDonald 2012, no. 434, state iii/iv

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Purchased September 9, 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. 419, 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. 434, state iii/iv.

Inscriptions

[Whistler's buttlerfly signature] center left composition, in plate, artist's hand. "[Whistler's butterfly signature] imp" lower left tab, graphite, artist's hand. "RUE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULT" upper right composition, in plate, artist's hand. "HUITRES DU JOUR" center right composition, in plate, artist's hand, written twice. Verso: none.

Markings

"LRJ" verso, black stamped ink, stamped twice. "National Gallery of Art" verso, black stamped ink.

Watermarks

None.

Wikidata ID

Q65022070

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