Bibi Lalouette
Medium
Etching and drypoint with foul biting in black ink on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Plate: 22.2 × 15.1 cm (8 3/4 × 6 in.); Sheet: 34.5 × 24.5 cm (13 5/8 × 9 11/16 in.)
Classification
etching
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
29439
Art Historical Context
In 1859, McNeill Whistler createdBibi Lalouette*, a striking etching and drypoint from his early career explorations in printmaking. This intimate portrait, executed in black ink on ivory laid, captures a moment of everyday French life during Whistler's time abroad, reflecting his fascination with Realism and the working-class subjects he encountered in Paris and beyond. Measuring a modest plate size of 22.2 × 15.1 cm, the work exemplifies Whistler's shift toward subtle, atmospheric effects, drawing inspiration from masters like Rembrandt while pushing etching toward modern impressionism. Whi...
About the Artist
James McNeill Whistler · 1834–1903
James Abbott McNeill Whistler (1834-1903) was an American-born painter and printmaker who became a leading figure in the Aesthetic Movement and pioneer of Tonalism and Japonisme. He revolutionized art by championing "art for art's sake" and treating paintings as visual equivalents of musical compositions, titling works as "arrangements," "harmonies," and "nocturnes" to emphasize formal qualities o...