Street at Saverne, One of the 'Twelve Etchings from Nature,' or the 'French Set'

Accession Number
1954/1.326

Title
Street at Saverne, One of the 'Twelve Etchings from Nature,' or the 'French Set'

Artist(s)
James Abbott McNeill Whistler

Artist Nationality
American (North American)

Object Creation Date
1858

Medium & Support
etching, printed in black ink on Japan paper, laid down on white wove plate paper

Dimensions
10 1/2 in x 7 11/16 in (26.67 cm x 19.53 cm)

Credit Line
Bequest of Margaret Watson Parker

Subject matter
Street at Saverne is one of the "French Set" etchings that is based on a watercolor executed during the walking trip that Whistler and Ernest Delannoy made in the summer of 1858. Night views, known as "Nocturnes", became one of Whistler's signature forms and dominate his views along the Thames during the 1870s as well as views in Venice and Amsterdam in the 1880s. The watercolor on which this etching is based is, in fact, a daytime view of Saverne; when making the print Whistler transformed this into a night view, thus becoming his first nocturne.

Physical Description
In this nighttime view down a street, buildings along the left-hand side of the street are shown in sharp recession. A solitary figure is seen in the shadows on the left-hand side half way down the street. The sky is darkened with parallel horizontal hatching lines. The only source of light is a lantern on the wall of the right side of the street. Dark shadows fall across the buildings on the left side.

Primary Object Classification
Print

Collection Area
Western

Rights
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Keywords
alleys
alleys (streets)
buildings
night
townscapes (built environment)
walking
window

& Author Notes

Web Use Permitted