Nocturne Shipping

A misty harbor scene rendered in soft grey drypoint, with the dark silhouettes of masts and sailing ships rising at left and right above rippled, reflective water. Faint horizontal strokes across the foreground suggest the water's surface under a dim, overcast sky, giving the scene a quiet, nocturnal mood.

Artist

James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903)

Date

1879-1880

Medium

Drypoint; ink on paper

Source

Smithsonian (National Museum of Asian Art)

Size

2863 × 2050 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Asian Art