1896
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
The Little Steps, Lyme Regis is a 1896 ink by James McNeill Whistler, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This painting shows a small, dark-haired girl in a white dress walking up a few steps to an open doorway. The girl is in profile, looking to her right, and her left hand is on the doorframe. The steps and doorway are in shadow, while the girl is lit from the side. A woman in dark clothing stands in the doorway, looking down at the girl. The woman's face is not visible. The scene is depicted in a loose, sketchy style, with bold lines and minimal detail. The overall effect is one of quiet intimacy, as if the viewer has stumbled upon a private moment. The artist's use of lithography adds a sense of texture and depth to the image. For more on this technique, look up lithography.
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
