Little Arthur

1858

Not on view

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 moody image of the artist's nephew emphasizes dramatic lighting over portraiture and echoes Rembrandt whose works were collected by Haden. 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."

Artwork Details

Title: Little Arthur
Series/Portfolio: French Set ("Douze eau-fortes d'apres Nature" 1858)
Artist: James McNeill Whistler (American, Lowell, Massachusetts 1834–1903 London)
Sitter: Arthur Charles Haden (British, 1852–1910)
Date: 1858
Medium: Etching, printed in black ink on off-white chine mounted on off-white wove paper; fourth state of four (Glasgow)
Dimensions: Plate: 2 5/16 x 1 15/16 in. (5.9 x 4.9 cm)
Sheet: 17 in. × 11 15/16 in. (43.2 × 30.4 cm)
Classification: Prints
Credit Line: Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1917
Object Number: 17.3.2
Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

More Artwork

By James McNeill Whistler

In the same medium

From the same time and place

Nocturne: Palaces, James McNeill Whistler American, Etching and drypoint; printed in dark brown ink on drum mounted medium weight ivory laid paper. — Nocturne: Palaces
James McNeill Whistler
1879–80

On the Wharfe, Bolton Abbey, William Callow British, Watercolor — On the Wharfe, Bolton Abbey
William Callow
September 30, 1858

Salvation Army, Sandwich, James McNeill Whistler American, Etching and drypoint, printed in black ink on ivory wove paper; impression from cancelled plate — Salvation Army, Sandwich
James McNeill Whistler
[1887]

Nocturne (Nocturne: The Thames at Battersea), James McNeill Whistler American, Lithotint with scraping on a prepared half-tint ground, printed in soft gray-black ink on pale blue laid chine mounted on ivory wove plate paper; second state of two (Chicago) — Nocturne (Nocturne: The Thames at Battersea)
James McNeill Whistler
1878

Stroh Violin, George Evans & Co. English, Mahogany and aluminum, British — Stroh Violin
George Evans & Co.
first quarter 20th century

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Send feedback

Content Notice

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world, and our online collection reflects ongoing work conducted over the course of our more than 150-year history. You may encounter objects or images that may be inappropriate for some viewers or information that may be outdated.