The etching medium experienced a resurgence towards the end of the 19th century as artists reexamined the technique and once again promoted it as an original art medium rather than merely a reproductive process. During this time, James Abbott McNeill Whistler became a leading figure of the Etching Revival, influencing countless other artists to explore the technique. Contemporaries took inspiration not only in the etching process itself, but also from Whistler’s favored subject matter, including the city of Venice.

Few places in the world have sparked the collective artistic consciousness as has Venice. Whistler arrived in the city in 1879, commissioned by the Fine Art Society, London to produce a suite of twelve etchings. Largely forgoing the most famous, fashionable landmarks, Whistler instead created images of hidden areas, intricate facades, and working-class Venetians. Other artists followed suit, producing similarly atmospheric works that depicted both the more recognizable and lesser-known sites of Venice.

This exhibition presents prints by Whistler and fellow artists including Otto Bacher, Ernest D. Roth, and William Walcot, who explored etching as an independent mode of expression. Using Venice as their collective muse, they created striking compositions that faithfully captured intimate and eye-catching scenes through the etched line.