Little Evelyn
Medium
Transfer lithograph; only state (Chicago); printed in black ink on the cream laid paper used for "The Art Journal' edition
Dimensions
Image: 6 7/8 × 4 1/2 in. (17.4 × 11.5 cm) Sheet: 12 11/16 × 9 15/16 in. (32.3 × 25.3 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1917
Accession Number
17.3.241
Tags
Art Historical Context
**Little Evelyn** (1896) is a tender portrait by James McNeill Whistler, the renowned American-born artist celebrated for his Aesthetic movement ideals and masterful use of tone and harmony. Capturing the innocent gaze of a young girl—likely a family friend or model—this intimate lithograph exemplifies Whistler's late-career fascination with subtle portraiture. Created during a period when Whistler was exploring printmaking's poetic potential, it reflects his belief in "art for art's sake," prioritizing mood over narrative. Whistler's expertise shines in this transfer lithograph, the only kno...
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...