Old Putney Bridge
Medium
etching and drypoint in dark brown on laid paper
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.8513
Art Historical Context
James McNeill Whistler’s *Old Putney Bridge*1879) captures a vanishing slice of Victorian London, depicting the wooden bridge spanning the River Thames before its demolition in 188. As part of Whistler’s acclaimed “Thames Set” series of etchings, this print reflects the artist’s fascination with the moody, atmospheric riverscape that defined his work. A pioneer of Aestheticism and tonal harmony—famously encapsulated in his mantra “art for art’s sake”—Whistler transformed everyday scenes into poetic visions, prioritizing subtle mood over narrative detail. Rendered in etching and drypoint on la...
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...