1888
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Passages de l'Opera is a 1888 ink by James McNeill Whistler, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a busy street scene with a grand building in the center. The building has a big archway and signs that read "Passages de l'Opera" and "Inscription." People are walking around, some standing still, others moving through the arch. Trees line the street, and there’s a lamp post on the left side. Notice how the artist used quick, sketchy lines to capture movement and light. The details are simple but full of life, focusing on the everyday hustle of the city. Check out the technique: drypoint to see how artists create texture with sharp tools.
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
