Who painted Rag Pickers, Quartier Mouffetard, Paris?

Rag Pickers, Quartier Mouffetard, Paris was painted by James McNeill Whistler in 1858.

Where can I see Rag Pickers, Quartier Mouffetard, Paris?

Rag Pickers, Quartier Mouffetard, Paris is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Rag Pickers, Quartier Mouffetard, Paris?

Rag Pickers, Quartier Mouffetard, Paris is associated with Impressionism.

Can I buy a print of Rag Pickers, Quartier Mouffetard, Paris?

Museum-quality prints of Rag Pickers, Quartier Mouffetard, Paris are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Rag Pickers, Quartier Mouffetard, Paris

James McNeill Whistler , 1858

Rag Pickers, Quartier Mouffetard, Paris is an ink print by the Impressionist artist James McNeill Whistler. It dates from 1858 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:lower right in plate: Whistler / 1858; lower right edge in graphite by unknown hand: 623; lower left verso in graphite by unknown hand: K 11 - The Little Rag Gatherers; lower right verso in graphite by unknown hand: 15
Markings: Marked:stamped center verso in black ink: F.B.B. [circled]

About this work

Overview

James McNeill Whistler’s print titled Rag Pickers, Quartier Mouffetard, Paris is executed in black ink using etching and drypoint on laid paper. The composition captures a modest interior space, its walls rendered with a tactile, uneven surface that suggests age and wear.

Subject & Meaning

Inside the cramped room, two figures are depicted amid everyday activity, their postures and gestures conveying a quiet moment of labor. The work foregrounds the dignity of ordinary life, inviting viewers to notice the quiet beauty inherent in humble surroundings.

Technique & Style

Whistler combined traditional etching with drypoint, allowing him to achieve both fine line work and richer, velvety shadows. The contrast between the crisp outlines of the figures and the softer, textured rendering of the walls creates depth and a subtle atmospheric perspective.

Context

Created during Whistler’s Parisian period, the print reflects his interest in urban street scenes and the lives of the city’s lower classes. It remains a representative example of his printmaking output from the late 19th century, held in several public collections.

Rag Pickers, Quartier Mouffetard, Paris, James McNeill Whistler

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Artist & collection

Artist

James McNeill Whistler

James Abbott McNeill Whistler (; July 10, 1834 – July 17, 1903) was an American painter in oils and watercolor, and printmaker, active during the American Gilded Age and based primarily in the United Kingdom.