The Steps, Amsterdam

1889

James McNeill Whistler

Associated Names
James McNeill Whistler

Artist, American, 1834 - 1903

This is a drawing of a waterfront building with a stairway leading up to a porch. The image depicts a scene by the water, with details of the building facade featuring windows adorned with curtains, a set of steps leading up to a porch, and various objects or possibly figures detailed along the entrance. The drawing uses fine lines to create depth and texture, conveying architectural detailing and reflections in the water in the foreground. The composition includes symmetry and balance typical of etchings emphasizing line work and shading.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Joshua Hutchinson Hutchinson [c. 1829-1891], London, (Lugt 2921); Sotheby's, 3 March 1892 (lot 347); (Deprez & Gutekunst). Given by John Nichols Estabrook and Dorothy Coogan Estabrook to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 1987.  

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1997

  • Whistler and Holland, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, 1997.

Bibliography

1910

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

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 right on the verso of the matboard, along with the title and Kennedy number: 15oo (the oo superscript and underlined)

Watermarks

none

Wikidata ID

Q74876935

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