Floor plan

Style galleriesThe Etching Revival

The Etching Revival

The image shows a landscape with a waterscape. The horizon separates the water and the sky. In the distance, there are buildings, structures, and ships with tall masts. Close to us, there are reflections of the ships and structures in the water with fine brushstrokes. The style is impressionistic with thin lines conveying details. The color palette is monochromatic with sepia tones.
The Petit Pont, by Charles Meryon, 1850
The image shows a village scene viewed from a low vantage point near a water's edge. A row of small, closely packed buildings and a church with an onion-shaped dome are prominently featured. There are gentle slopes leading towards the structures. The image uses fine, detailed line work to depict texture and depth in the buildings and natural landscape. The lines are delicate and varied, creating a sense of detail and softness. The color palette is monochromatic, with dark ink on a pale background, resulting in a classic and timeless feel.
The image depicts a landscape with a river flowing through it. In the foreground, there is a small boat on the water, and in the background, sailboats are docked near a strip of land. Tall trees with sparse foliage are on the right side, with a structure nestled among them near the water. The horizon is slightly above the center of the image, with a calm sky above it. The brushstrokes vary in texture, with fine strokes for the sky and water and more detailed strokes for the trees. The color palette is muted, with sepia and gray tones creating a peaceful atmosphere. Birds are scattered in the sky.
The Fan Tree, by Ernest Haskell, ca. 1915

The works in this room are listed below.

Works in this room

Artists who took up the etching needle again, from Whistler to the Paris printmakers.

Section 1, north wall

  1. The image shows a landscape with a waterscape. The horizon separates the water and the sky. In the distance, there are buildings, structures, and ships with tall masts. Close to us, there are reflections of the ships and structures in the water with fine brushstrokes. The style is impressionistic with thin lines conveying details. The color palette is monochromatic with sepia tones.
    Long LagoonJames McNeill Whistler, 1880Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. The Petit Pont, by Charles Meryon, 1850
    The Petit PontCharles Meryon, 1850Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  3. The image shows a village scene viewed from a low vantage point near a water's edge. A row of small, closely packed buildings and a church with an onion-shaped dome are prominently featured. There are gentle slopes leading towards the structures. The image uses fine, detailed line work to depict texture and depth in the buildings and natural landscape. The lines are delicate and varied, creating a sense of detail and softness. The color palette is monochromatic, with dark ink on a pale background, resulting in a classic and timeless feel.
    SchwabelweissOtto Henry Bacher, 1879Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 1, south wall

  1. The image depicts a landscape with a river flowing through it. In the foreground, there is a small boat on the water, and in the background, sailboats are docked near a strip of land. Tall trees with sparse foliage are on the right side, with a structure nestled among them near the water. The horizon is slightly above the center of the image, with a calm sky above it. The brushstrokes vary in texture, with fine strokes for the sky and water and more detailed strokes for the trees. The color palette is muted, with sepia and gray tones creating a peaceful atmosphere. Birds are scattered in the sky.
    Shrewsbury RiverJohn Hill Millspaugh, 1887Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. The Fan Tree, by Ernest Haskell, ca. 1915
    The Fan TreeErnest Haskell, ca. 1915Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Section 2, south wall

  1. A work made of etching and drypoint in brown on cream laid paper.
    Nocturne, from Venice, a Series of Twelve Etchings (the "First Venice Set")James McNeill Whistler, 1879–80Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. A work made of transfer lithograph in black on tan simili-parchment paper.
    Head of a Raven in Profile, from The Raven (Le Corbeau)Édouard Manet, 1875Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. A work made of photogravure in dark brown retouched with soft varnish (vernis mou), roulette and blue handcoloring on thick cream wove paper.
    Modern MasksFélicien Rops, 1889Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

Section 2, north wall

  1. The image displays a harbor filled with boats and ships. The perspective is slightly elevated, likely from a dock, with a partially visible boat and dock at the forefront. The horizon is in the upper third of the image, showing a distant cityscape with spires and structures. The brushwork is delicate, with fine, linear strokes typical of etching. The color palette is monochromatic, sepia tones creating a vintage and serene mood. The ships with tall masts populate the water, with reflections giving a sense of stillness. In the distance, faint impressions of buildings line the harbor, blending into the horizon.
    San GiorgioJames McNeill Whistler, 1880Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. The image shows two individuals seated outdoors near a body of water with their feet submerged. Both individuals are seen from head to toe. The person on the left is seated with a slightly hunched posture, reading a document or a book. They have a balding head, wear glasses, a dark suit with the coat draped over their knees, and a top hat placed on the ground. The individual on the right is sitting upright with a scarf over their hair. They wear a long dress with a shawl, and their hands rest on their lap. The background features a bare tree and a rough, sketched environment. The sky and landscape are depicted in shades of light and dark.
    Une lecture intéressante et rafraichissanteHonoré Daumier, 1854Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 3, north wall

  1. The image shows a landscape with a valley leading towards two mountain peaks known as the Peaks of Otter. The horizon is low, with the mountains dominating the scene. The brushwork is smooth and delicate, and the color palette consists of muted earth tones, greens, and soft blues. In the foreground, there are cattle grazing in a field with a wooden fence, and a couple of houses among trees to the left. Further back, there are open fields with horses and agricultural activities, leading to a dense tree line at the base of the mountains.
    View of the Peaks of OtterWoldemar Rau, 1858Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. The image shows a street scene from a close perspective down a narrow alleyway. The horizon is not visible, with buildings on both sides. The style features detailed etching with fine lines and shading for depth and texture. The color palette is monochromatic with black, gray, and off-white tones. The houses have worn facades, and there is a distant figure. The sky is dark and overcast, enhancing the shadow-filled scene.
    Street in SaverneJames McNeill Whistler, 1858Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. The image shows a small body of water with grass-covered banks on either side. The viewpoint is slightly elevated, looking down at the scene. The horizon is in the upper third of the composition, separating the sky from the land. The artwork features intricate linework and stippling to create texture and detail, particularly in the tree branches. The color palette is monochrome, with shades of sepia and brown. A tree dominates the right side of the scene, leaning over the water. In the distance, more trees and fields are visible with minimal detail in the far background.
    Apple Trees along the Side of a DitchPieter Dupont, 1894Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 3, south wall

  1. Business Men's Class, by George Bellows, 1916
    Business Men's ClassGeorge Bellows, 1916Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. A work made of lithograph on ivory wove paper.
    Paulus, from Le Café-ConcertHenri-Gabriel Ibels, 1893Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. Untitled, by Mildred McMillen, 1915
    UntitledMildred McMillen, 1915Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum