Artwork

Standing Woman Holding Up Her Dress (verso)

Standing Woman Holding Up Her Dress (verso), by James McNeill Whistler, 1872
Standing Woman Holding Up Her Dress (verso), by James McNeill Whistler, 1872

Standing Woman Holding Up Her Dress (verso) is a drawing by the Impressionist artist James McNeill Whistler. It dates from 1872 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Standing Woman Holding Up Her Dress (verso) is a drawing by James Whistler, created on the reverse of another sheet, a common practice among artists to conserve paper.

Technique & Style

The drawing features quick, light lines that capture a woman standing with her back turned, lifting her dress. Whistler's use of delicate, expressive lines achieves a soft, fluid effect, reminiscent of the sfumato technique used by earlier artists to blur edges and create a sense of atmosphere.

Subject & Meaning

The subject is a woman in a loose dress, depicted in a moment of casual movement. Whistler's butterfly monogram, placed below the model's hand, adds a touch of whimsy to the drawing.

History & Provenance

Whistler created this drawing after leaving the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and establishing himself as an artist in Europe, where he was influenced by Japanese prints and developed a distinctive style characterized by subtlety and delicacy.

Artist & collection

Portrait of James McNeill Whistler

Artist

James McNeill Whistler

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.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Cleveland Museum of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.