Accession Number1954/1.328
TitleLa Vieille aux Loques
Artist(s)James Abbott McNeill WhistlerArtist NationalityAmerican (North American)Object Creation Date1858Medium & Supportetching and drypoint, printed in dark brown ink on green laid paperDimensions 10 1/4 in x 7 1/2 in (26.04 cm x 19.05 cm)
Credit LineBequest of Margaret Watson ParkerSubject matterThe images of Whistler's French Set reflect the artistic trends current in Paris when Whistler was a student there. "La Vieille aux Loques", with its concern for working class figures, demonstrates Whistler's early orientation towards the work of Courbet. Throughout his career, Whistler mantained an interest in depicting working class and humble subjects; however, the beauty of his depictions elevated such works beyond the gritty realism of early works such as this etching.
Physical DescriptionAn old woman in a white cap sits in a cluttered interior. Positioned just inside the doorway, the woman is surrounded by piles of cloth with domestic objects on shelves and walls that gleam in the darkness.
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Keywords
Vessels
buildings
doorways
elderly
interior views
seated
women (female humans)
working class