Artwork
Traghetto, No. 2
Traghetto, No. 2 is a print by the Impressionist artist James McNeill Whistler. It dates from 1880 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Traghetto, No.
About this work
Overview
Traghetto, No. 2 is a print executed by James McNeill Whistler in 1880. The work depicts a small ferry scene, rendered in the artist’s characteristic tonal palette. It forms part of Whistler’s series of waterborne subjects, exploring light and atmosphere on the water’s surface.
Technique & Style
The print was produced using the drypoint and etching processes, allowing Whistler to achieve delicate lines and subtle gradations of tone. His approach emphasizes muted hues and a restrained composition, reflecting the aesthetic principles of the Aesthetic Movement that he championed during the late nineteenth century.
History & Provenance
Created in the early 1880s, Traghetto, No. 2 entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it remains on view. The museum acquired the piece as part of its effort to represent key works by transatlantic artists who shaped modern printmaking.
Context
The title, Italian for “small ferry,” references the everyday transport vessels common along the canals of Venice, a recurring motif in Whistler’s oeuvre. By focusing on such a modest subject, the artist aligns with contemporary interests in capturing fleeting moments of urban life and the interplay of water and light.
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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