Figure Study in Colors - James McNeill Whistler

Bequest of Bryan Lathrop

American Art Modern Art Prints Sculpture

"Figure Study in Colors" by James McNeill Whistler (1890) Transfer lithograph from four stones on ivory wove proofing paper.

Commentary

"Figure Study in Colors" by James McNeill Whistler (1890) invites a close look at how form and feeling work together. Because the work is spatial, changes in viewpoint and light can noticeably alter its emotional impact. Themes to notice incl ude 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 from four stones on ivory wove proofing paper) affects texture, durability, and how detail reads at different distances. Its listed dimensions (Image: 20.4 × 14 cm (8 1/16 × 5 9/16 in.); With registration marks: 25.9 × 14 cm (10 1/4 × 5 9/16 in.); Sheet: 35.5 × 26.6 cm (14 × 10 1/2 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/73874

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