The Little Putney, No. 1 (Little Putney Bridge)
Medium
Etching and drypoint, printed in dark brownish-black ink on cream colored laid paper; fifth state of five (Glasgow); as published in 1883
Dimensions
plate: 5 3/16 x 8 1/8 in. (13.2 x 20.6 cm) sheet: 6 15/16 x 9 9/16 in. (17.6 x 24.3 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1917
Accession Number
17.3.80
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the misty world of London's Thames River with James McNeill Whist *The Little Putney, No 1 (Little Put Bridge)*, etched in 1879. This intimate print captures the graceful arch of Putney Bridge spanning the river, evoking industrial yet poetic atmosphere of Victorian London. Whistler, a master of subtle tone and harmony famously championed in his "art for art's sake" philosophy, produced this as part of his celebrated Thames Set—a series of etchings documenting the river's everyday life and landmarks. Crafted in etching and drypoint on cream laid paper, the work showcases Whistler's ...
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...