1884
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Little Dordrecht is a 1884 ink by James McNeill Whistler, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a busy harbor scene with ships anchored in the water. The boats are drawn quickly, with tall masts and sails that look almost like scribbles. People on the docks are small, standing or walking, some holding poles or tools. The whole scene is in dark brown lines on light paper, giving it a rough, sketchy feel. The artist used a technique called etching to make these lines. This means they scratched into a metal plate, then inked it to create the print. The lines are uneven, like they were drawn fast. Look up etching to see how artists make prints this way.
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
