Accession Number
1954/1.408

Title
Carpet Menders, Paris

Artist(s)
James Abbott McNeill Whistler

Artist Nationality
American (North American)

Object Creation Date
1897-1898

Medium & Support
etching and drypoint, printed in warm black ink on laid paper, trimmed to plate

Dimensions
7.9 x 9 7/8 in. (20.16 x 25.08 cm);7.9 x 9 7/8 in. (20.16 x 25.08 cm);18 1/8 x 22 1/16 in. (46.04 x 56.04 cm)

Credit Line
Bequest of Margaret Watson Parker

Subject matter
Whistler's continuing interest in the arrangements of doorways and windows as a compositional focus dates back to his early work in the French Set. Here, the composition recalls some of his Venice etchings, such as "The Bead-Stringers", but is handled with the light, hair-like fine lines of the Amsterdam etchings. The result is an of evansecent, almost shimmering effect of light.

Physical Description
Three women sit just inside the doorway of a building shown frontally to the viewer. The doorway is framed by windows on either side within an archietctural framework that connects the windows and door with a dado under the windows. The women have a large piece of fabric laid over their laps on which they are working. The woman at the left is angled so that she is looking into the room; the other two look out at the viewer. The profile of a fourth woman is visible in the central window on the left side of the door.

Primary Object Classification
Print

Collection Area
Western

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.

Keywords
Paris
buildings
carpets
doorways
seated
sitting