1877
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Little Smithfield is a 1877 ink by James McNeill Whistler, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows two small figures sitting on a narrow path between tall, uneven buildings. The walls are made of rough, slanted wood, and the roofs look weathered. A tree branch leans over the left side, and the whole scene is drawn in loose, scratchy lines. The artist used a technique that lets ink sit in the grooves of the metal plate, creating a textured look. This was a quick way to capture light and shadows in a busy city corner. Next, check out etching to see how artists like Whistler made these detailed prints.
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.
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