1890
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Figure Study in Colors is a 1890 ink by James McNeill Whistler, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This print shows a single figure in a loose robe, drawn with soft, colored lines. The colors blend where they meet, like a watercolor but printed. Whistler chose this method to keep the drawing feeling fresh. Lithography uses greasy crayons on stone, then ink sticks only where the crayon was. It’s a hands-on way to make art that feels handmade even when printed. The paper shows the press’s texture, so every copy feels a little different. Look for lithography in action at the National Gallery of Art, Washington.
James Abbott McNeill Whistler was an American painter in oils and watercolor, and printmaker, active during the American Gilded Age and based primarily in the United Kingdom.
See the richer artist page
