San Biagio
1879-1880
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Accession Number
F1908.3
Tags
About this artwork
4, 1
Art Historical Context
James McNeill Whistler’s *San Biagio* (1879–1880) is a captivating etching from his renowned Venice series, created during the artist’s immersive stay in the lagoon city. Whistler, an American expatriate celebrated for his Aestheticist principles—prioritizing “art for art’s sake” through subtle tones, harmony, and suggestion—produced around 50 prints during this period. This work likely captures a serene waterway scene featuring a boat, evoking Venice’s atmospheric light and misty reflections with masterful economy of line. Etching, Whistler’s preferred medium here, involves incising lines in...