Alderney Street

c. 1880/1881

James McNeill Whistler

Associated Names
James McNeill Whistler

Artist, American, 1834 - 1903

The image shows a street scene with various buildings and urban activities. The viewpoint is slightly elevated, and many buildings and people are visible. The horizon is obscured by tall buildings in the background. The style is loose and sketchy, with fine lines indicating figures, buildings, and movement. The color palette is monochromatic, using sepia or pencil gray tones on an off-white background. Near the viewer, a person and a horse-drawn carriage are depicted. Further away, more figures and another carriage are shown, adding to the urban scene. The distant buildings are outlined with simple linear details.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching on laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall (trimmed to plate): 17.9 × 11.1 cm (7 1/16 × 4 3/8 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1949.5.263

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    MacDonald 2012, no. 246, state iii/iii

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Howard Mansfield (Lugt 1342), New York; Harris G. Whittemore, CT, acquired 1919; Lessing J. Rosenwald, Philadelphia; gift to NGA, 1949.

Associated Names

Bibliography

1910

  • Kennedy, Edward G. The Etched Work of Whistler. New York: Grolier Club, 1910, no. 238, i/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. 246, state iii/iii.

Inscriptions

on plate: (butterfly); on tab: (butterfly) imp; lower right on the verso: st (the st superscript) and 28

Watermarks

none

Wikidata ID

Q65076813

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