Artwork
The Little Doorway, Lyme Regis
The Little Doorway, Lyme Regis is an ink print by the Impressionist artist James McNeill Whistler. It dates from 1895 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
The Little Doorway, Lyme Regis is a 1895 lithograph by James Whistler, featuring a serene, arched doorway scene executed in a range of blacks on laid paper.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a narrow, arched entrance with rough stonework, a small window above, and a larger window to the right, where a figure in a long coat and hat stands with back turned, gazing outward. The composition conveys quiet contemplation.
Technique & Style
Whistler employed lithography to achieve subtle tonal harmony and refined composition, characteristic of his 'art for art's sake' philosophy, prioritizing visual aesthetics over narrative or emotional depth.
History & Provenance
Created in 1895 by American expatriate James Whistler, active in Britain during the late 19th century, the work reflects his avoidance of sentimental narrative in favor of visual sophistication.
Context
As an American artist in Britain, Whistler's work, including The Little Doorway, Lyme Regis, contributed to the late 19th-century artistic landscape, emphasizing aesthetic refinement.
Legacy
The lithograph exemplifies Whistler's influence on the development of printmaking and the 'art for art's sake' movement, leaving a legacy in the emphasis on tonal harmony and composition.
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.
Arrangement in Black, No. 3: Sir Henry Irving as Philip II of Spain
Arrangement in Flesh Colour and Black: Portrait of Theodore Duret
Gold and Brown: Self-Portrait
Edward Guthrie Kennedy
Harmony in Yellow and Gold: The Gold Girl—Connie Gilchrist
George W. Vanderbilt
Symphony in White, No. 1: The White Girl
Henry Irving as Philip II of Spain
