Wash Day
Medium
Etching in black on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Image: 14.7 × 19.7 cm (5 13/16 × 7 13/16 in.); Plate: 15.2 × 20.4 cm (6 × 8 1/16 in.); Sheet: 26.6 × 39 cm (10 1/2 × 15 3/8 in.)
Classification
etching
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
87499
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
**Wash Day** is evocative etching by American artist Frederick Blum (18571903), created around late 19th century Rendered in black ink luxurious ivory laid paper, print captures a slice of domestic life, likely centered the laborious ritual of laundry. Measuring a modest image size of 14.7 × 19.7 cm it exemplifies the intimate typical of etchings, for intricate details visible up in museum displays. Bl, renowned for his genre and influences from Japanese uyo-e prints and European, mastered etching—a technique acid etches fine lines a metal plate for rich tonal depth. The choice laid paper, with its chain lines, enhances the's velvety blacks subtle gradations, highlighting's skill in conveying texture light. Housed in Art Institute of Chicago's and Drawings department, this undated work the era's fascination with moments, elevating the mundane art. Visitors will appreciate **Wash Day** bridges art and printmaking's appeal, making Blum's observations accessible beyond oil paintings. A charming window into Victorian-era, it invites reflection on labor, home, and the beauty in the banal.
About the Artist
Robert Frederick Blum · 1857–1903
American mural painter. Comment on works: painter