James McNeill Whistler 1834-1903

Taken from a high vantage point looking east downstream, this etching captures the old suspension bridge during the construction of the Thames Embankment. Whistler focuses on the complex network of piles and struts in the middle distance, while the foreground and the water are indicated with a more suggestive, minimal line. The iron columns of the new Charing Cross railway bridge are visible through the structure of the old bridge, creating a layered sense of industrial change. Contemporary reviews praised the way Whistler rendered reflections in this etching as shimmering and broken as the river moved. Created in 1861, this work differs significantly from his 1859 etchings, moving toward a more refined and conceptual design.