Floor plan

Style galleriesThe Etching Revival

The Etching Revival

The Petit Pont, by Charles Meryon, 1850
Nocturne: Palaces, by James McNeill Whistler, 1879–80
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.
Portrait of Mrs. C--, by Henry Wolf, 1894
A work made of etching and drypoint in brown on cream laid paper.
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

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 Petit Pont, by Charles Meryon, 1850
    The Petit PontCharles Meryon, 1850Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. Nocturne: Palaces, by James McNeill Whistler, 1879–80
    Nocturne: PalacesJames McNeill Whistler, 1879–80Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  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 1, south wall

  1. Portrait of Mrs. C--, by Henry Wolf, 1894
    Portrait of Mrs. C--Henry Wolf, 1894Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  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. 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 2, south wall

  1. 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
  2. Cornwall, by Kerr Eby, 1927
    CornwallKerr Eby, 1927Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Section 2, 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. 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. This print displays a landscape with a wide view of flat land stretching towards the horizon. The ground is covered in small black dots, with some bare patches in the bottom center. A few silhouetted trees and a hint of smoke coming up from behind some rocks are visible in the distance. The gray sky dominates the scene with soft, swirling clouds.
    LowlandsTimothy Cole, 1918Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. Washerwomen Descending a Quai Staircase, by Alexandre Lunois, 1888
    Washerwomen Descending a Quai StaircaseAlexandre Lunois, 1888Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art

Section 3, south wall

  1. Lady with the Lute, by Henry Wolf, 1909
    Lady with the LuteHenry Wolf, 1909Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  2. The Old Orchard, by Arthur A. Marschner, 1915
    The Old OrchardArthur A. Marschner, 1915Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum

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