The Winged Hat
Medium
lithograph in black on laid paper
Dimensions
image: 17.9 × 17.4 cm (7 1/16 × 6 7/8 in.) sheet: 30.9 × 20.8 cm (12 3/16 × 8 3/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.8685
Art Historical Context
James McNeill Whistler’s *The Winged Hat*1890) is a captivating lithograph in black on laid paper, measuring a intimate 17.9 × 17.4 cm for the image itself. Created during the artist’s mature period, this print exemplifies Whistler’s mastery of subtle tonal effects and his commitment to “art for art’s sake,” a hallmark of the Aesthetic. An American expatriate in London, Whistler drew inspiration from Japanese art and French etching traditions, prioritizing harmony, mood, and beauty over narrative. Lithography allowed Whistler to achieve painterly qualities akin to his famous oil nocturnes, us...
About the Artist
James McNeill Whistler · 1834–1903
James Abbott McNeill Whistler (1834-1903) was an American-born painter and printmaker who became a leading figure in the Aesthetic Movement and pioneer of Tonalism and Japonisme. He revolutionized art by championing "art for art's sake" and treating paintings as visual equivalents of musical compositions, titling works as "arrangements," "harmonies," and "nocturnes" to emphasize formal qualities o...