Who painted At the Spinning Wheel?

At the Spinning Wheel was painted by Otto Henry Bacher in 1884.

Where can I see At the Spinning Wheel?

At the Spinning Wheel is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is At the Spinning Wheel?

At the Spinning Wheel is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

At the Spinning Wheel

Otto Henry Bacher , 1884

At the Spinning Wheel is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Otto Henry Bacher. It dates from 1884 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created around 1884, this print by Otto Henry Bacher is an etching titled At the Spinning Wheel. The work captures a domestic interior where a woman is positioned in a doorway, engaged with a sizable spinning apparatus. The composition is rendered with delicate line work that conveys texture and spatial depth, establishing a calm, industrious mood within the modest setting.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure, a short‑haired woman in a long dress, holds a large spinning wheel that dominates the scene. Though her facial features are indistinct, her stance and the surrounding objects—a rug, a window, and the doorway—suggest a moment of quiet labor, reflecting everyday domestic activity and the traditional role of textile production in the period.

Technique & Style

Bacher employed the etching process, using fine incised lines to model the surfaces of fabric, wood, and stone. The print displays a careful modulation of line density, creating subtle tonal variations that enhance the sense of volume and material. The overall style balances realism with a slightly softened atmosphere, characteristic of late‑19th‑century printmaking.

History & Provenance

Attributed to the mid‑1880s, At the Spinning Wheel belongs to Bacher’s body of work produced during his European period. While specific ownership records are limited, the piece has appeared in several collections of American etchings, illustrating the artist’s engagement with genre scenes and his contribution to the revival of print techniques in that era.