Artwork
The Dam Wood
The Dam Wood is an ink print by the Impressionist artist James McNeill Whistler. It dates from 1875 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
This etching shows tall trees with thin trunks against a soft sky. The lines are thin and scratchy. The paper looks old and slightly yellow.
Whistler made this in 1875. He used a drypoint needle to scratch the plate. The image feels quiet and still, like a moment frozen in time.
Check out Whistler, James McNeill next time you're at the National Gallery of Art, Washington.
Overview
The Dam Wood is a drypoint print on laid paper created by James McNeill Whistler in 1875. It exemplifies Whistler's expertise in printmaking, a significant aspect of his artistic practice.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a serene landscape featuring tall, slender trees set against a soft sky. The scene conveys a sense of stillness and quiet contemplation, characteristic of Whistler's rejection of narrative or sentimental themes.
Technique & Style
Whistler employed a drypoint needle to scratch the plate, resulting in thin, scratchy lines that contribute to the image's subtle, harmonious quality. The drypoint technique allowed for expressive, delicate renderings of the natural scene.
History & Provenance
The Dam Wood was created in 1875, a period when Whistler was based in the United Kingdom. The work is now part of the collection at the National Gallery of Art, Washington.
Own this work as a print
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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