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Rag Pickers, Quartier Mouffetart, Paris

James Abbott McNeill Whistler

Artwork Details

Rag Pickers, Quartier Mouffetart, Paris
1858
James Abbott McNeill Whistler
etching and drypoint on paper
7 15/16 in. x 5 5/8 in. ( 20.1 cm x 14.3 cm )
Museum Purchase
1991/2.1

Description

Subject Matter:

Whistler portrayed this interior located in the fifth arrondissement of Paris, which was an older, poor region on the left bank that was home to many poor workers. Along with his other Parisian portraits and sketches done on his walking journey that were grouped into the "French Set", this work shows Whistler drawing picturesque places and depicting images of labor akin to those of Gustave Courbet.

Physical Description:

The scene takes place in a dark interior room, seen from the street. The rough stone of the doorway frames a seated woman and a young boy standing nearby. In addition to light illuminating the interior from the street, there is a recessed window niche along the left wall of the room.

Usage Rights:

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