Wild West, Buffalo Bill
1887
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1887
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Wild West, Buffalo Bill is a 1887 ink by James McNeill Whistler, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a rough, fast-drawn scene of a Wild West show. There’s a wooden stage with a few people on it, some horses, and a small crowd watching. The background has hills and a few buildings, all drawn in loose, wobbly lines. The paper looks old and yellow, with smudges and tiny holes. The artist used a sharp tool to scratch into the surface, creating dark lines that pop against the light paper. This method is called *etching*—it lets you add fine details and textures with ink. Look up etching to see how artists use acid and ink to make prints like this one.
