Study
Medium
Lithograph with scraping, on a prepared half-tint ground; only state (Chicago); printed in brown ink on grayish wove paper
Dimensions
Image: 10 1/4 x 6 1/2 in. (26 x 16.5 cm) Sheet: 11 1/4 x 8 13/16 in. (28.6 x 22.4 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
H.O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H.O. Havemeyer, 1929
Accession Number
29.107.114
Tags
Art Historical Context
James McNeill Whistler’s *Study* (1879) is a delicate lithograph that exemplifies the artist’s mastery of subtle tonal effects and his commitment to Aestheticism, prioritizing beauty and harmony over narrative. during a prolific period in Whistler’s career, when he experimented extensively with printmaking after his high-profile libel trial against critic John Ruskin, this captures his innovative approach to light and form. Printed in brown ink on grayishove paper, it measures a modest 10¼ x 6½ inches, inviting intimate contemplation. The medium—a lithograph with scraping on a prepared half-t...
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...