Artwork
The Bridge
The Bridge is a print by the Impressionist artist James McNeill Whistler. It dates from 1880 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 1923.13
- Credit line
- Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph King
About this work
Overview
The Bridge, created by James McNeill Whistler in 1880, is a print housed at The Cleveland Museum of Art, depicting a serene dusk scene of a river, bridge, and distant lights.
Subject & Meaning
This quiet, nocturnal landscape may reflect Whistler's emotional state following a financially devastating lawsuit, suggesting a contemplative retreat from turmoil.
Technique & Style
Characterized by thin, smoky layers, the work's medium is unspecified but resembles watercolor or diluted oil, employing sfumato techniques to achieve soft, shadowy edges.
History & Provenance
Created in 1880 after Whistler's bankruptcy from a lawsuit with a critic, the piece's subsequent history is not detailed here, though it is now part of The Cleveland Museum of Art's collection.
Context
Emerging from a period of personal and financial struggle for the artist, The Bridge contrasts with the public controversy surrounding Whistler's work at the time, embodying a serene counterpoint.
Artist & collection
Artist
James Abbott McNeill Whistler (; July 10, 1834 – July 17, 1903) was an American painter in oils and watercolor, and printmaker, active during the American Gilded Age and based primarily in the United Kingdom.
Arrangement in Black, No. 3: Sir Henry Irving as Philip II of Spain
Arrangement in Flesh Colour and Black: Portrait of Theodore Duret
Gold and Brown: Self-Portrait
Edward Guthrie Kennedy
Harmony in Yellow and Gold: The Gold Girl—Connie Gilchrist
George W. Vanderbilt
Symphony in White, No. 1: The White Girl
Henry Irving as Philip II of Spain
