Nocturne: Dance House

A tonal etching of a night scene in which a building's upper windows glow faintly through dense brown hatching. A small burst of light sits near the center, reflected in the dark water or pavement below, while the lower area dissolves into shadow.

Look closer: A faint, small signature or mark sits in the lower margin beneath the image.

Artist

James McNeill Whistler

Date

1889

Medium

Etching and drypoint, printed in dark brown ink on medium weight ivory laid paper; fourth state of six (Glasgow)

Source

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Size

2500 × 4000 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1917