The Window Cleaner, Chelsea
1888
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1888
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Window Cleaner, Chelsea is a 1888 ink by Théodore Roussel, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a window with shutters halfway open, revealing a person cleaning the glass inside. Below, a ledge holds a plant and a small vase. The lines are scratchy and uneven, with lots of dark shading around the window frame. The artist used a green ink to make the lines pop against the light paper. The messy strokes give it a rough, quick feel—like a sketch made fast. Want to see more? Check out etching to learn how artists like this carve images into metal plates.
