Whistler No. 4
1885
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
1885
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Whistler No. 4 is a 1885 ink by Mortimer Menpes, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a bunch of rough, overlapping faces—all drawn fast and messy. Some faces are laughing, some are serious, and one looks surprised. The lines are scratchy, like they were drawn with a sharp tool, and the whole thing feels alive but unfinished. The artist stacked the faces so they almost blend together, making it look like one person wearing many expressions at once. This was made as a quick study, not a polished portrait. Next, check out etching to see how artists use acid and needles to carve into metal plates.
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