Sketches on the Coast Survey Plate
1854
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1854
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Sketches on the Coast Survey Plate is a 1854 ink by James McNeill Whistler, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows quick, loose drawings of a coastline with hills and water. There are also small portraits of people in hats and a boat in the distance. The lines are light and uneven, like hurried notes. The artist used a technique called etching to make these marks. The paper has a textured look, typical of older prints. Next, look up etching to see how artists create these kinds of sketches.
