The Storm
James Abbott McNeill Whistler
Description
Subject Matter:
Whistler's friend and fellow artist, Mathew White Ridley, served as the model for the man in this image. The low horizon line and wide proportion of the plate suggest that Whistler had Rembrandt's landscape etchings in mind when he drew this plate.
This image is quite rare: there are only four impressions taken from the plate prior to the cancellation lines and the richness of the drypoint in this impression indicates that it was also a very early impression.
Physical Description:
A stormy and blustery landscape dominates the scene; at the lower left corner, a man with a moustache leans into the wind, clutching his coat in front of him with his right hand and holding his hat in place with his left hand. The landscape is flat and largely open; small groups of trees are visible in the distance and dark lines in the sky represent clouds and squall lines. In the center of the image are faint diagonal lines "cancelling" the plate.
Usage Rights:
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.