1880
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Upright Venice is a 1880 ink by James McNeill Whistler, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a busy Venetian dock. Ships sit in the water, their masts tall and crowded. People walk along the wooden platform, some carrying bags or talking in groups. In the background, a domed building and smaller roofs line the horizon, with a few boats floating near the shore. The artist used quick, sketchy lines to show movement and life. The paper looks textured, and the ink varies in darkness, giving it a rough, handmade feel. Try looking up etching to see how this technique works.
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
