Staircase panel
Classification
Painting
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Accession Number
F1904.467
Tags
About this artwork
From 1876 to 1892
Art Historical Context
James McNeill Whistler’s *Staircase Panel*1876) captures the artist’s mastery of subtle harmony and decorative elegance during a pivotal moment in his career. Born in America but thriving in London, Whistler championed the Aesthetic movement’s “art for art’s sake philosophy, prioritizing tonal beauty over narrative. Created in 1876—the same year he controversially transformed Frederick Leyland’s dining room into the iconic Peacock Room—this oil painting on panel likely reflects his experiments with architectural ornamentation, blending fine art with interior design. Though the exact medium de...