Artwork
Walter Sickert
Walter Sickert 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
James McNeill Whistler’s 1895 lithograph presents a profile portrait of the English painter Walter Sickert. Executed in black on laid paper, the print belongs to Whistler’s mature period in London, when he was actively developing his graphic work alongside his oil and watercolor paintings.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures Sickert seated, his head turned slightly toward the viewer. The composition emphasizes the sitter’s thoughtful demeanor, offering a glimpse into the artistic camaraderie of two prominent figures in the late‑19th‑century British art world.
Technique & Style
Created through lithography, Whistler drew directly onto a stone or metal plate, producing swift, loose lines that range from dense black areas to delicate, fading shadows. The hair and clothing are rendered with sweeping, overlapping strokes, giving the work a spontaneous, study‑like quality.
History & Provenance
The lithograph was produced during Whistler’s later London years, a time when he expanded his practice beyond painting to include a substantial body of prints. It forms part of his graphic oeuvre, which was circulated among collectors and fellow artists of the period.
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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