The House that Jeff Built
1863
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
Artist
David Claypoole Johnston
American, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1799–1865 Dorchester, Massachusetts
See the richer artist page1863
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
The House that Jeff Built is a 1863 ink by David Claypoole Johnston, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This image shows a series of black-and-white sketches arranged in a grid. Each one depicts a different scene tied to slavery: a slave pen, people being sold, a whip, and a man with a whip. The drawings are simple, with bold outlines and no color. Text under each sketch explains what’s happening in plain, harsh words. The artist used a single technique to make these images: etching, where lines are carved into metal and inked to create the print. Look up etching to see how it works.
American, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1799–1865 Dorchester, Massachusetts
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