Dry Docks, Southampton
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Accession Number
F1903.154
Tags
About this artwork
Whistler etchings are identified by "G" numbers as assigned in "James McNeill Whistler: The Etchings, a catalogue raisonne," by Margaret F. McDonald, Grischka Petri, Meg Hausberg, and Joanna Meacock (University of Glasgow, 2012), http://etchings.arts.gla.ac.uk. This print is G302 state 1 of 2.
Art Historical Context
James McNeill Whistler’s “Dry Docks, Southampton” captures an industrial riverside scene from 1887, rendered as an etching (G302, state 1 of 2). Whistler, celebrated for his masterful printmaking, often explored the interplay of water, boats, and urban structures with delicate lines and atmospheric effects. This print reflects his continued fascination with maritime subjects during his later years in Britain. Acquired by the Smithsonian American Art Museum as part of the Charles Lang Freer collection, the work highlights Whistler’s influence on American collectors and his role in elevating et...