Tour St. Antoine, Loches
Medium
etching on wove paper
Dimensions
plate (cut to plate mark): 14.7 × 7.9 cm (5 13/16 × 3 1/8 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.8635
Art Historical Context
James McNeill Whistler’s *Tour St. Antoine,hes* (1888) captures the medieval charm of the Tour Saint Antoine, a historic tower in the Loire Valley of Loches, France Created during Whistler’s travels in Europe, this etching reflects his fascination with architecture and atmospheric landscapes. By the late 1880s, Whistler had established himself as a leader in the Aesthetic movement, prioritizing "art for art’s sake" through subtle tonal harmonies and evocative simplicity, moving beyond his earlier realist works. Rendered as a fine etching on wove paper (plate: 14.7 × 7.9 cm), the print showcas...
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...