Little Venice
Medium
etching on laid paper
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of R. Horace Gallatin
Accession Number
1949.1.54
Art Historical Context
James McNeill Whistler, renowned 19th-century artist celebrated for his Aesthetic Movement ideals—prioritizing "art for art's sake" through subtle tones and harmony—created *Little Venice* in 0 during a pivotal trip to Venice. Facing financial ruin after the infamous "Whistler vs. Ruskin" libel trial,istler arrived in the city in 1879 few resources but a keen eye for its atmospheric beauty. He produced around 50 etchings, this one from his acclaimed "Venice Set," capturing the city's labyrinthine canals and decaying elegance with poetic minimalism rather than precise detail. This etching on l...
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...