The Smithy

1880

James McNeill Whistler

Associated Names
James McNeill Whistler

Artist, American, 1834 - 1903

This is a drawing of an artist's studio. The scene captures a cluttered workspace filled with various art materials and furniture, such as easels, canvases, and tables covered with draped cloth. The space is lit by natural light coming through a large window on the left side, illuminating the wooden structures and casting soft shadows. The interior appears to be rustic, with visible beams supporting the ceiling. The sketchy lines and shading give a sense of texture and atmosphere, reflecting the busy and artistic ambiance of the studio.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching and drypoint in black on laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Corcoran Collection (Gift of Bud and Fran Moreland Johns)

  • Dimensions

    plate: 17.46 × 22.86 cm (6 7/8 × 9 in.)
    sheet (irregular): 18.42 × 22.86 cm (7 1/4 × 9 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2015.19.3493

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    MacDonald 2012, no. 239, state iv/vi

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(C. & J. Goodfriend Drawings and Prints, New York); Bud and Fran Moreland Johns, San Francisco, California; Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 2013; acquired 2015 by the National Gallery of Art

Associated Names

Exhibition History

2013

  • Recent Acquisitions: American Art from the Johns Collection, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 2013-2014

Bibliography

1910

  • Kennedy, Edward G. The Etched Work of Whistler. New York: Grolier Club, 1910, no. 240.

2012

  • MacDonald, Margaret, Grischka Petri, Meg Hausberg, and Joanna Meacock. James McNeill Whistler: The Etchings, A Catalogue Raisonné. Scotland: University of Glasgow, 2012, no. 239, iv/vi. 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 left verso in graphite by unknown hand: ARG16290; lower right verso in graphite by unknown hand: The Smithy (K.240) / P652

Wikidata ID

Q77010505

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