The Two Doorways
1879-1880
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Accession Number
F1891.1
Tags
About this artwork
4, 3
Art Historical Context
James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903), the renowned American artist celebrated for his elegant, atmospheric works, created *The Two Doorways* between 1879 and 1880. This etching captures Whistler's mastery of printmaking during his influential sojourn in Venice, where he produced a celebrated series of etchings known as the Venice Set. Though the specific subject evokes Venetian architectural motifs—likely weathered doorways framing light and shadow—the piece exemplifies his commitment to "art for art's sake," prioritizing subtle tonal harmonies over narrative detail. As a print, *The Two Doorwa...