1887
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Long Seats, Gray's Inn is a 1887 ink by James McNeill Whistler, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows people sitting on park benches and walking along a path. Some are chatting, others are just standing or leaning. A horse-drawn carriage is in the foreground, with a baby peeking over the side. The lines are loose and quick, like a quick snapshot. The artist used a technique called etching to create these dark lines on light paper. It looks like they were drawing fast, almost like doodling but with more skill. If you like this sketchy style, look up etching to see how it works.
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
