1881
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
A Lady of Cairo Visiting is a 1881 ink by James David Smillie, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white print shows a dimly lit room with rough stone walls and a heavy wooden door. A woman in a long, patterned robe stands near the door, holding a basket. Two animals—a cow and a donkey—stand close to her, while a child sits on the floor nearby. The scene looks busy, with shadows and textures filling every corner. The artist used fine lines to create deep shadows and detailed patterns, making the scene feel almost three-dimensional. This style was common in etchings, where artists scratch into metal plates to print images. Next, look up etching to see how artists like this one create prints.
James David Smillie was an American artist, cofounder of the American Watercolor Society and New York Etching Club. His brother was painter George Henry Smillie.
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