Courtyard and Canal 1880

James Abbott McNeill Whistler likely made this work on paper with pastel crayons. The dry, powdery nature of the pastels gives the image a soft, almost dreamlike quality. Look closely, and you'll see how Whistler uses the pastels to create a textured surface, with layers of color blended together. Given its urban subject, the drawing may seem like a straightforward impression, but it’s actually quite constructed. The hatching of the pastels creates a sense of depth, pulling the viewer into the Venetian courtyard, suggesting a lively, working area. It's interesting to consider Whistler’s decision to work in pastel. Rather than oil paint, the medium allowed for a quicker, more portable way of working. Yet he didn’t treat pastel as a sketch-like medium, instead creating highly finished works of art. This approach challenges the traditional hierarchy of art materials, blurring the lines between fine art and craft. So when you look at a work like this, remember that the choice of material and the way it's used can be just as important as the subject matter itself.