Artwork
Maud, Standing
Maud, Standing is an ink print by the Impressionist artist James McNeill Whistler. It dates from 1873 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1873, *Maud, Standing* is a print by James McNeill Whistler executed in both etching and drypoint on laid paper. The work presents a solitary female figure seen in profile, her dress flowing and her hair pulled back, while she holds a small object in her right hand. The composition is restrained, emphasizing line and tone rather than story.
Subject & Meaning
The image portrays a woman standing sideways, dressed in a long, high‑collared gown. Her posture and the modest gesture suggest a quiet, private moment rather than a narrative episode. Whistler’s intent aligns with his advocacy of “art for art’s sake,” focusing on visual harmony over moral or anecdotal content.
Technique & Style
Whistler combined traditional etching with drypoint, incising the metal plate to produce both deep, velvety shadows and crisp, raised lines. The resulting marks are fine and slightly scratchy, giving the print a textured surface that accentuates the delicate contours of the figure and the subtle tonal gradations characteristic of his mature style.
History & Provenance
Produced during Whistler’s productive period in the United Kingdom, the print reflects his broader engagement with oil and watercolor media. Though specific ownership details are sparse, the work is documented as part of Whistler’s late‑nineteenth‑century output, illustrating his consistent emphasis on refined composition and technical precision.
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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