Floor plan

Style galleriesThe Etching Revival

The Etching Revival

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.
Lady with the Lute, by Henry Wolf, 1909
Portrait of Mrs. C--, by Henry Wolf, 1894
A work made of photogravure in dark brown retouched with soft varnish (vernis mou), roulette and blue handcoloring on thick cream wove paper.
A work made of transfer lithograph in black, with stumping and scraping, on cream laid paper, laid down on a heavy backing sheet.
The image depicts a landscape seen from a slightly elevated perspective, with a tranquil scene. The horizon is high in the composition, showing a vast view. There are a few distant trees and silhouettes blending into the sky. The brushstrokes are expressive and fluid, with a sketch-like quality depicting texture and movement in the trees and ground. The color palette is primarily monochrome, using shades of black and grey. Near the viewer, there are low plants and shrubs on sandy ground, leading to a small body of water reflecting dense trees. In the distance, the landscape becomes more open and sparse towards the horizon.

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 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. Lady with the Lute, by Henry Wolf, 1909
    Lady with the LuteHenry Wolf, 1909Courtesy 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 1, south wall

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. The image depicts a landscape seen from a slightly elevated perspective, with a tranquil scene. The horizon is high in the composition, showing a vast view. There are a few distant trees and silhouettes blending into the sky. The brushstrokes are expressive and fluid, with a sketch-like quality depicting texture and movement in the trees and ground. The color palette is primarily monochrome, using shades of black and grey. Near the viewer, there are low plants and shrubs on sandy ground, leading to a small body of water reflecting dense trees. In the distance, the landscape becomes more open and sparse towards the horizon.
    Cape Ann WillowsCharles A. Platt, 1887Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 2, south wall

  1. Untitled, by Mildred McMillen, 1915
    UntitledMildred McMillen, 1915Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  2. The image depicts two individuals from the waist up. The person on the left has a round face and is slightly behind the person on the right who has a slightly elongated face. Both individuals appear to be seated and have short, neatly combed hair. They have neutral facial expressions and their features are indistinct. The person on the left wears a suit with a bow tie, while the person on the right is dressed in clothing with detailed patterns and holds a flower-like object in their left hand. The background shows simple line sketches that suggest an interior setting.
    Ostpreussisches Ehepaar (Couple from East Prussia)Lovis Corinth, 1916Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  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, north wall

  1. Our Army before Yorktown, Virginia, from Harper's Weekly, May 3, 1862, by Winslow Homer, 1862
    Our Army before Yorktown, Virginia, from Harper's Weekly, May 3, 1862Winslow Homer, 1862Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  2. The image depicts a landscape with towering rock formations dominating the scene. The ground is rugged and textured, leading the eye towards the rock pillars in the center. A structure or building is perched atop one of these rocks. The background shows the horizon above the structure, with clouds and sky stretching out beyond. The artwork features detailed brushstrokes adding texture to the rocks. The color palette is monochromatic with varying shades of charcoal or ink, emphasizing the contrast between the rocks and the sky.
    The Cliffs of the TrinityJoseph Pennell, 1913Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 3, north 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. A work made of lithograph in black ink, with additions in brush and red, blue, yellow, green, orange-brown and gray watercolor on ivory wove paper.
    TingletangleEdvard Munch, 1895Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

Section 3, south wall

  1. 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
  2. The Coolest Spot in New England--Summit of Mount Washington, from Harper's Bazar, July 23, 1870, by Winslow Homer, 1870
    The Coolest Spot in New England--Summit of Mount Washington, from Harper's Bazar, July 23, 1870Winslow Homer, 1870Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  3. Business Men's Class, by George Bellows, 1916
    Business Men's ClassGeorge Bellows, 1916Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art