Little Court, Cloth Fair

James McNeill Whistler

National Gallery of Art

The sketch depicts a view from street level of an urban alley or street lined with buildings. The horizon line is obscured by the angular shapes and rooflines of the buildings. The drawing is executed in a loose, gestural style with quick pencil strokes. The color palette is monochromatic with varying shades of gray on white paper. Closest to us, there is a suggestion of cobblestone or paving detail leading the eye into the scene, where a small group of figures is gathered. In the background, there are faint indications of distant architecture blending into the paper.