Accession Number
1954/1.384

Title
Doorway and Vine, One of the 'Twenty-six Etchings,' or the 'Second Venice Set'

Artist(s)
James Abbott McNeill Whistler

Artist Nationality
American (North American)

Object Creation Date
1879-1880

Medium & Support
etching on paper

Dimensions
9 1/8 in. x 6 5/8 in. ( 23.2 cm x 16.8 cm )

Credit Line
Bequest of Margaret Watson Parker

Subject matter
This composition shares the essentials of "The Traghetto No. 2", with its passageway, distant view, and figures at the front of the passage. The theme views framed with doorways dates back to the "French Set" and "The Limeburner" from the "Thames Set" and is central to Whistler's image making. Here the darkness and deep recession of the passage and silhouetted figure at the far end is contrasted with the flat, mural character of the foreground entrance, windows, and vine.

Physical Description
A dark passageway through a building reveals a distant view of figures on both sides of a canal. In the foreground, the building is sketched in to show a vine growing up and over the passageway at the left, and an arched window at the right side; above the passage on the second floor two figures are seen silhouetted in an open window.

Primary Object Classification
Print

Collection Area
Western

Rights
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Keywords
alleys
alleys (streets)
buildings
doorways
ivy
passages (circulation spaces)
vines
window