Who painted Charley Looking at an Album of Prints?

Charley Looking at an Album of Prints was painted by Jan Toorop in 1898.

Where can I see Charley Looking at an Album of Prints?

Charley Looking at an Album of Prints is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Charley Looking at an Album of Prints?

Charley Looking at an Album of Prints is associated with Impressionism.

Can I buy a print of Charley Looking at an Album of Prints?

Museum-quality prints of Charley Looking at an Album of Prints are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Charley Looking at an Album of Prints

Jan Toorop , 1898

Charley Looking at an Album of Prints is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Jan Toorop. It dates from 1898 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:lower right in plate: TOOROP; lower left in brown ink: [not deciphered] / Jan Toorop; by later hand, lower left verso in graphite: 319H

About this work

Overview

A young girl, identified as Charley, is seated on the floor beside a low table, absorbed in a flat object that appears to be an album of prints.

Jan Toorop’s 1898 drypoint, Charley Looking at an Album of Prints, presents a quiet interior scene on buff‑coloured wove paper. A young girl, identified as Charley, is seated on the floor beside a low table, absorbed in a flat object that appears to be an album of prints. A dog rests nearby, and a window frames a garden of tall foliage and flowers, while simple furnishings and a round mirror complete the setting.

Subject & Meaning

The composition captures a moment of solitary contemplation, emphasizing the act of viewing art within a domestic space. Charley’s focused gaze on the album suggests a personal connection to the images it contains, while the surrounding elements, a pet, a garden view, modest décor, underscore a tranquil, intimate atmosphere that invites reflection on the relationship between viewer and artwork.

Technique & Style

Executed in drypoint, the print relies on fine, sketch‑like lines to render light, shadow, and texture. The medium allows for delicate tonal variations, evident in the soft modeling of the figure and the subtle suggestion of depth in the background. Toorop’s handling reflects his engagement with Symbolist mood and the sinuous, decorative qualities associated with Art Nouveau, while maintaining a restrained, observational quality.

History & Provenance

Created in 1898, the work belongs to the later phase of Toorop’s career, a period marked by his exploration of Symbolist and Art Nouveau influences after earlier experiments with Amsterdam Impressionism and Pointillism. The print has been documented in several catalogues of Toorop’s graphic output and remains part of public and private collections that focus on turn‑of‑the‑century European printmaking.

Liseuse (The Reader), Georges Daniel de Monfreid

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Artist & collection

Artist

Jan Toorop

Johannes Theodorus "Jan" Toorop was a Dutch painter who worked in various styles, including Symbolism, Art Nouveau, and Pointillism. His early work was influenced by the Amsterdam Impressionism movement.