Artwork preview

The Long Balcony

James McNeill Whistler

National Gallery of Art

The image depicts a group of people on a balcony. Multiple figures are gathered along the edge of the balcony, most holding or gathered under umbrellas. Additional figures are seen peering out from small windows. The sketch is done with light, quick pencil strokes, expressing movement and casual observation. The background is lightly sketched, focusing attention on the figures with minimal detail given to the architecture, creating a bustling, everyday ambiance.

Artwork Details

Date
1894
Medium
lithograph in black on laid paper
Dimensions
3421 × 4970 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette