Floor plan

Style galleriesThe Etching Revival

The Etching Revival

Untitled, by Mildred McMillen, 1915
Nocturne (Nocturne: The Thames at Battersea), by James McNeill Whistler, 1878
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.
This image shows an elevated view of a grassy landscape with sparse trees and vegetation at the horizon. The linear brushstrokes create texture and movement in the grass and sky. The color palette is monochromatic with sepia tones. In the foreground, a figure is on a horse amidst tall grasses, while in the distance, another figure stands on the left and a cluster of trees is on the right. The sky has wisps of clouds.

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. Untitled, by Mildred McMillen, 1915
    UntitledMildred McMillen, 1915Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  2. Nocturne (Nocturne: The Thames at Battersea), by James McNeill Whistler, 1878
    Nocturne (Nocturne: The Thames at Battersea)James McNeill Whistler, 1878Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 1, south wall

  1. 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
  2. This image shows an elevated view of a grassy landscape with sparse trees and vegetation at the horizon. The linear brushstrokes create texture and movement in the grass and sky. The color palette is monochromatic with sepia tones. In the foreground, a figure is on a horse amidst tall grasses, while in the distance, another figure stands on the left and a cluster of trees is on the right. The sky has wisps of clouds.
    Path through a Wheat Field (Sentier dans les bles)Charles-François Daubigny, 1862Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 2, south wall

  1. Lady with the Lute, by Henry Wolf, 1909
    Lady with the LuteHenry Wolf, 1909Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  2. Head of an Old Man, by Kerr Eby, ca. 1918
    Head of an Old ManKerr Eby, ca. 1918Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  3. The image features a large building with a domed tower on the right side. The horizon shows hills, trees, and the sky. The brushstrokes give detailed texture to the scene, with a focus on the landscape and architecture. The color palette is sepia-toned. A tree, fence, smaller buildings, and a figure on a path add depth and perspective to the scene.
    Mission Santa Barbara, Looking SouthHenry Chapman Ford, 1888Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 2, north wall

  1. The Fan Tree, by Ernest Haskell, ca. 1915
    The Fan TreeErnest Haskell, ca. 1915Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  2. Nocturne: Palaces, by James McNeill Whistler, 1879–80
    Nocturne: PalacesJames McNeill Whistler, 1879–80Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  3. A work made of transfer lithograph in black on gray china paper.
    Under the Lamp ("Once upon a midnight dreary..."), from The Raven (Le Corbeau)Édouard Manet, 1875Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

Section 3, north wall

  1. Sculptress, by Eugène Grasset, 1897
    SculptressEugène Grasset, 1897Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. Portrait of Mrs. C--, by Henry Wolf, 1894
    Portrait of Mrs. C--Henry Wolf, 1894Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  3. A work made of transfer lithograph in black, with stumping and scraping, on cream laid paper, laid down on a heavy backing sheet.
    La Belle JardinièreJames McNeill Whistler, 1894Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

Section 3, south wall

  1. 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
  2. A work made of color lithograph on paper.
    The Old ViolinWilliam Michael Harnett, 1887Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. Cornwall, by Kerr Eby, 1927
    CornwallKerr Eby, 1927Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum