The Little Venice
The Little Venice

Currently not on view

The Little Venice,

1880

James McNeill Whistler, 1834–1903; born Lowell, MA; died London, England; active England and Paris, France
2016-62

In this panoramic view of Venice from the Lido—a recently developed beach resort—Whistler emphasizes the expanse of sea and sky while articulating various church domes and towers, including those of San Marco, and punctuating the stillness of the water with a few gondolas, marked posts, and (on the left) his butterfly monogram. The etched lines are enhanced by a layer of ink (called plate tone) that he applied during the printing process, which progresses from dark to light. Whistler’s minimalist approach received mixed reviews when this etching was exhibited in London as part of the artist’s First Venice Set, with one critic commenting that "In the Little Venice . . . Mr. Whistler has attempted to convey impressions by lines far too few for his purpose."

Information

Title
The Little Venice
Dates

1880

Maker
James McNeill Whistler
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
sheet trimmed to plate: 18.5 × 26.2 cm (7 5/16 × 10 5/16 in.)
Credit Line
Bequest of Emma Swan Hall
Object Number
2016-62
Place Depicted

Europe, Italy, Venice

Signatures
In plate, lower left: artist monogram [butterfly]
Reference Numbers
Glasgow 238 ii/ii; Kennedy 183; Mansfield 180
Culture
American
Type
etchings, prints
Materials
ink, paper (fiber product)
Techniques
etching (printing process), drypoint
Subject
seascapes, cathedrals, boats, gondolas

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