James McNeill Whistler 1834-1903

Created during a trip to Brittany in late 1861, this drypoint is a primarily an exploration of internal lighting and atmosphere. Rather than focusing on a social message about labour and the working classes, Whistler was interested in the way the blaze of the forge rendered forms ‘ambiguous and insubstantial’ in the dusky room. The blacksmith is depicted like an alchemist, observing the glowing metal while his young assistants and a woman in a traditional Breton bonnet watch from the shadows. This is the first of many ‘smithy’ subjects in Whistler’s career, a motif he returned to frequently for its dramatic potential. Like J. Becquet, this print was included in the ‘Thames Set’ despite being a product of his time in France.