Annie

Annie Harriet Haden|James McNeill Whistler

1858 · Etching, printed in black ink on fibrous ivory laid paper; sixth state of seven (Glasgow) · Drawings and Prints

Early in 1858 Whistler went to London from Paris to recuperate from a bad fall and stayed with his sister Deborah and her husband Seymour Haden. A gifted etcher, the latter encouraged the artist’s first serious efforts in the medium. This example centers on Whistler's niece and emphasizes an abstract pattern of darks and lights over portraiture, omitting the figure's legs. In November 1858, Whistler included the print in his first published set, "Douze eau-fortes d'apres Nature" ("Twelve Etchings from Nature"), known as the "French Set."

Artist

Annie Harriet Haden|James McNeill Whistler

Date

1858

Medium

Etching, printed in black ink on fibrous ivory laid paper; sixth state of seven (Glasgow)

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1917