Whistler with the White Lock
1879
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1879
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Whistler with the White Lock is a 1879 ink by James McNeill Whistler, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a man’s face in profile, turned slightly away. His hair is curly and messy, with a few white streaks. The lines are loose and scratchy, like quick pencil strokes. The paper is light gray, and the image looks unfinished. The artist used a technique called drypoint to make the lines. It leaves a rough texture, almost like scratching into the paper. Next, check out etching to see how artists like Whistler made prints this way.
