James McNeill Whistler (Lowell, Massachusetts, 1834 - 1903, London, England)
Second Venice Set: The Temple, 1880-1881
Etching printed on paper, 10 x 15.2 cm (3 15/16 x 6 in.)
This horizontal etching is printed on paper that has a golden-brown tone. The print shows a street scene, with a view through an open area to the sides of multiple buildings. A narrow street angling toward our right divides the line of buildings. Details on the sides of the buildings on our left are not rendered, except for some third-floor windows. The roof areas are more detailed, with a sloped roof containing dormers and chimneys. In front of the buildings on the left there is a streetlight and two horses attached to an empty cart. The façade of the building faces the narrow street. It has three stories, with windows depicted on each story. On the opposite side of the street, a lower building is shown with three windows arranged vertically on its side, facing the viewer. Its roof appears to have a soft or almost flat slope, with chimneys. In front of this building is a sketchily drawn structure that could be a stable, from which two horses are exiting. Adjacent to the side of the structure, facing the viewer, is a spindly tree without leaves. The lower third of the etching is empty, except for Whistler’s butterfly signature on the left. The artist’s butterfly signature also appears on a tab at the bottom.
Short Gallery
Commentary
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