Floor plan

Style galleriesThe Etching Revival

The Etching Revival

Untitled, by Mildred McMillen, 1915
The image shows a residential area with barren trees, rooftops of houses, and people walking along fences. The trees sway in the wind, their branches extending in various directions. The scene is depicted in a monochromatic black and white style, with expressive lines creating a sense of movement and a sketch-like quality. The horizon is high, showing rooftops and the sun above it.
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.
The Fan Tree, by Ernest Haskell, ca. 1915
Portrait of Mrs. C--, by Henry Wolf, 1894

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. The image shows a residential area with barren trees, rooftops of houses, and people walking along fences. The trees sway in the wind, their branches extending in various directions. The scene is depicted in a monochromatic black and white style, with expressive lines creating a sense of movement and a sketch-like quality. The horizon is high, showing rooftops and the sun above it.
    LandscapeTheo von BrockhusenCourtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 1, south 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 Fan Tree, by Ernest Haskell, ca. 1915
    The Fan TreeErnest Haskell, ca. 1915Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  3. Portrait of Mrs. C--, by Henry Wolf, 1894
    Portrait of Mrs. C--Henry Wolf, 1894Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Section 2, south wall

  1. A work made of color lithograph on paper.
    The Old ViolinWilliam Michael Harnett, 1887Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  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 2, north wall

  1. A work made of transfer lithograph in black on gray china paper.
    At the window ("Open here I flung the shutter..."), from The Raven (Le Corbeau)Édouard Manet, 1875Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. At the Café, by Édouard Manet, 1874
    At the CaféÉdouard Manet, 1874Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art

Section 3, north 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. In proof of true love, a watercarrier skeleton arguing with a woman (Posada); two skeleton angels in upper corners (Manilla), by José Guadalupe Posada, ca. 1890–96
    In proof of true love, a watercarrier skeleton arguing with a woman (Posada); two skeleton angels in upper corners (Manilla)José Guadalupe Posada, ca. 1890–96Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 3, south wall

  1. Evening, Melancholy I, by Edvard Munch, 1896
    Evening, Melancholy IEdvard Munch, 1896Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. 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
  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 4, south wall

  1. 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
  2. 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