Artwork
The Lime-Burner

The Lime-Burner is an ink print by the Impressionist artist James McNeill Whistler. It dates from 1859 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
The Lime-Burner is an etching and drypoint on Japanese paper created by James McNeill Whistler in 1859. It showcases the artist's skill in printmaking, a medium he explored alongside painting.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a suited man working in a dimly lit, cluttered space with wooden structures and ladders. The scene's details and atmosphere are rendered through Whistler's use of shading and texture, creating a sense of depth.
Technique & Style
Whistler employed etching and drypoint techniques to achieve a range of visual effects, from the intricate details of the man's clothing to the softer, looser rendering of the background. This contrast highlights his expressive use of medium.
Context
The Lime-Burner is associated with the Realism movement and reflects Whistler's advocacy for 'art for art's sake,' emphasizing refined visual effects over sentimentality.
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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