1859
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Thames Warehouses is a 1859 ink by James McNeill Whistler, a Impressionism work, depicting Harbor, held at National Gallery of Art.
This etching shows dark warehouse walls along the Thames, their outlines sharp against the water. The ships’ masts rise like thin needles. Whistler used fine lines to catch light on the rippling river. He etched this on-site, standing right on the docks. That rare habit gives the scene a raw, unfiltered feel. You can almost hear the creak of ropes and the muddy smell of the shore. Check out how Whistler’s lines compare to Rembrandt’s etchings next.
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
