The Little Lagoon

1879/1880

James McNeill Whistler

Associated Names
James McNeill Whistler

Artist, American, 1834 - 1903

The image shows a waterway scene with a clear view across the water towards the horizon. The horizon with a distant strip of land, buildings, and ships is near the top third of the image. The brushstrokes are minimalistic, emphasizing simplicity and fluidity in the lines. The color palette is monochrome, primarily using shades of grey and cream, creating a calm visual impact. Two slender poles are in the water, with small boats and a larger vessel with two masts further away. The sky has a few wispy clouds, enhancing the serene ambiance of the image.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching and drypoint in black on laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Corcoran Collection (Bequest of Margaret Coughlan)

  • Dimensions

    plate: 22.54 × 15.24 cm (8 7/8 × 6 in.)
    sheet (with tab): 23.34 × 15.72 cm (9 3/16 × 6 3/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2015.19.3262

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    MacDonald 2012, no. 216, state ii/iv

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Margaret Coughlan, Washington, DC; Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 2004; acquired 2015 by the National Gallery of Art

Associated Names

Bibliography

1910

  • Kennedy, Edward G. The Etched Work of Whistler. New York: Grolier Club, 1910, no. 186.

2012

  • MacDonald, Margaret, Grischka Petri, Meg Hausberg, and Joanna Meacock. James McNeill Whistler: The Etchings, A Catalogue Raisonné. Scotland: University of Glasgow, 2012, no. 216, ii/iv. http://etchings.arts.gla.ac.uk

Inscriptions

lower right in plate: [the artist's butterfly]; lower left in graphite: [the artist's butterfly] imp.; lower center verso in graphite by unknown hand: 11; lower right verso in graphite by unknown hand: V8A-

Wikidata ID

Q77010133

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