The Little Lagoon
1879/1880
Medium
etching and drypoint on laid paper
Dimensions
plate: 22.86 x 15.24 cm (9 x 6 in.) sheet (with tab): 23.5 × 15.24 cm (9 1/4 × 6 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.8520
Art Historical Context
James McNeill Whistler, leading figure in the Aesthetic movement, created *The Little Lagoon* during his extended stay in Venice from 1879 to 1880. This intimate etching captures the serene beauty of Venice's waterways, part of his acclaimed "Second Venice Set"—a series of about 50 prints that revolutionized printmaking. Exiled from London after his famous libel trial against critic John Ruskin, Whistler turned to Venice for inspiration, producing works that emphasize mood and subtlety over literal detail, influenced by Japanese ukiyo-e prints. Masterfully executed in etching and drypoint on ...
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...