Floor plan

Style galleriesThe Etching Revival

The Etching Revival

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 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.
A work made of transfer lithograph in black, with stumping and scraping, on cream laid paper, laid down on a heavy backing sheet.
A work made of transfer lithograph in black on tan simili-parchment paper.
Our Army before Yorktown, Virginia, from Harper's Weekly, May 3, 1862, by Winslow Homer, 1862

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 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 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 1, south wall

  1. 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
  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. 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

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. 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 2, north 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 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

Section 3, north wall

  1. 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
  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 3, south wall

  1. 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
  2. The Stranger, by Albert Sterner, 1916
    The StrangerAlbert Sterner, 1916Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  3. 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. 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. 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