Nocturne: Blue and Gold—Southampton Water
1872
oil
From the collection of Art Institute of Chicago
1872
oil
From the collection of Art Institute of Chicago
You see a dark blue night sky over water, with faint gold lights and shadowy ship shapes. Whistler called these paintings “nocturnes” after the quiet pieces in music. He wanted the viewer to feel the evening, not just see a harbor. The ships are almost gone—just hints of masts and hulls left in the dim light. Look up the technique called *glazing* to see how thin layers of paint can make a scene glow like this.
