James McNeill Whistler

Drouet

Date 1859
Materials Drypoint - black ink on wove paper
Dimensions 22.7 cm x 15.2 cm
Marks Signed on the plate at the lower right: "Whistler 1859"; signed on the plate at the upper right (faintly): "Whistler maitre eauforte"; inscribed on the plate at the lower centre: "Drouet Sculpteur"; inscribed by Harold Wright (in pencil) below the plate: "W.53/K 55 II/Drouet"
Further information GLAHA 46745.
Edward G. Kennedy, The Etched Work of Whistler, New York, The Grolier Club, 1910 (55, 2nd of 2
states).

Note Whistler worked in Paris during the autumn of 1859 and the majority of the etchings he made were self-portraits or portraits of his friends. The sitter in this portrait is Charles Drouet, a sculptor and collector, who was a lifelong friend of Whistler's. As with many other works Whistler made at this time, his primary focus was on the face, which was very subtly drawn and full of character. Whistler gave his friend an intense penetrating stare to match his sharp nose and pointed beard. In contrast, the rest of his body is very sketchily portrayed. The image fits in with nineteenth century ideas concerning the heroic yet mysterious Romantic artist.

Related works GLAHA 49980.