Artwork
Jo's Bent Head
Jo's Bent Head is a print by the Impressionist artist James McNeill Whistler. It dates from 1861 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
James McNeill Whistler’s 1861 print titled “Jo’s Bent Head” is part of the collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work, executed early in Whistler’s career, exemplifies his engagement with printmaking during the mid‑nineteenth century, offering a glimpse into his developing visual language.
Technique & Style
The piece is a print, a medium Whistler explored alongside painting and drawing. Its composition reflects the artist’s interest in tonal variation and subtle line work, hallmarks of his approach to capturing form and atmosphere through graphic means.
History & Provenance
Created in 1861, “Jo’s Bent Head” entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition, joining a broader assemblage of Whistler’s works that illustrate his artistic evolution. The museum’s catalog records the print as an early example of his print practice.
Artist & collection
Artist
James Abbott McNeill Whistler was an American painter in oils and watercolor, and printmaker, active during the American Gilded Age and based primarily in the United Kingdom.
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