The Dam Wood

Accession Number
1954/1.359

Title
The Dam Wood

Artist(s)
James Abbott McNeill Whistler

Artist Nationality
American (North American)

Object Creation Date
1874-1875

Medium & Support
drypoint on ivory laid paper

Dimensions
6 7/8 in. x 4 3/8 in. ( 17.5 cm x 11.1 cm )

Credit Line
Bequest of Margaret Watson Parker

Subject matter
Whistler’s relationship to Frederick Leyland began to deteriorate over Whistler’s elaborate decoration of the Leyland dining room, known as the Peacock Room. His last visit to their home was in January 1875 and The Dam Wood was executed in the environs of Speke Hall.
By this date, Whistler’s work had already begun to take on a simplified composition and an elimination of details. This work depicting a stand of young trees shows just such a reductive approach. The young trees form a screen of vertical lines very near the picture plane that obscures anything in the distance; this kind of composition flattens the perception of depth and is derived from Japanese prints. Other artists were experimenting with such compositional approaches at this time, such as Camille Pissarro.

Physical Description
In a desolate, wintery landscape stand a group of leafless trees with tall grasses beyond.

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
deciduous trees
trees
winter
woods

& Author Notes

Web Use Permitted