Afternoon Tea - James McNeill Whistler

Bequest of Bryan Lathrop

"Afternoon Tea" by James McNeill Whistler (1897) Transfer lithograph in various black inks, on tan laid Japanese vellum.

Commentary

"Afternoon Tea" by James McNeill Whistler (1897) invites a close look at how form and feeling work together. The print-based method rewards close viewing, where line, texture, and contrast do most of the expressive work. Themes to no tice include transfer lithograph. This piece is held in the source collection's Prints and Drawings collection. James McNeill Whistler is the artist behind this work. A useful anchor for reading the piece: James McNeill Whistler American, 1834-1903. The work is cataloged within a United States cultural context. How to look at this work: It is cataloged as transfer lithograph, which gives a clue to how the museum frames the object. Its medium (Transfer lithograph in various black inks, on tan laid Japanese vellum) affects texture, durability, and how detail reads at different distances. Its listed dimensions (Image: 18.5 × 15.7 cm (7 5/16 × 6 3/16 in.); Sheet: 39.7 × 24.3 cm (15 11/16 × 9 5/8 in.)) suggest how intimate or monumental it may feel in person. Subject cues from the catalog include transfer lithograph. Compare this reading with the museum record at the source collection: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/73965

Sources: Art Institute of Chicago; Art Institute of Chicago / Public Records; Art Institute of Chicago Collection Data