1899
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Twelve Portraits: James McNeil Whistler is a 1899 by William Nicholson, a Impressionism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This print shows a dark, shadowy figure standing against a black background. The person’s face is barely visible, just a faint outline. Below, a light-colored square floor stretches out, with a single diagonal line cutting across it. The artist used bold contrasts between light and dark to create this striking effect. This style was a key part of how Nicholson worked. Look up chiaroscuro next to see how artists use light and shadow like this.
Sir William Newzam Prior Nicholson (5 February 1872 – 16 May 1949) was a British painter of still-life, landscape and portraits.
See the richer artist page
