Artwork
Maud, Standing
Maud, Standing is a chalk 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 an intaglio print combining etching, drypoint, and white chalk applied to laid paper. Executed by James McNeill Whistler, an American‑born artist who spent most of his career in Britain, the work exemplifies his printmaking practice during the late nineteenth century.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents a solitary woman in profile, her weight balanced on one leg while the other is subtly bent. She wears a dark, high‑necked dress, long sleeves, an up‑do hairstyle, and a hat, set against a light‑toned wall with vertical drapery. Her expression is serious, conveying a restrained, contemplative mood.
Technique & Style
Whistler employed fine etched lines and the softer burr of drypoint to render delicate contours and tonal gradations. White chalk highlights are added to the surface, softening the shadows and introducing a gentle warmth. The overall effect is one of subtle texture and muted tonal harmony, characteristic of his aesthetic of restraint.
History & Provenance
The print belongs to the period when Whistler was actively producing etchings and drypoints that aligned with the “art for art’s sake” ethos. While specific ownership records are limited, the work is documented as part of his oeuvre from the early 1870s, a time when he was establishing his reputation in the United Kingdom.
Context
*Maud, Standing* reflects Whistler’s departure from sentimental portraiture, favoring a quiet, formal presentation. The composition’s simplicity and emphasis on line echo contemporary movements that prioritized visual harmony over narrative content, situating the piece within broader late‑Victorian aesthetic debates.
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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