The Little Mast 1879 - 1880

"The Little Mast" is an etching made by James Abbott McNeill Whistler. Whistler, an American artist working in Europe, captured the visual sensations of his surroundings. This work is from a set of Thames views that he created during a period of political reform and industrial transformation. He turned to the working class neighborhoods and the river that cut through them, as sites of inspiration. Through this delicate rendering of the dockyards and rigging along the Thames, Whistler seems to invite viewers to reconsider the relationship between urban life, labor, and leisure. The print emphasizes the aesthetic experience of the industrialized city, capturing the emotional and sensory experiences of everyday life. Whistler rejected the notion that art needed to serve a moral or social purpose, saying, "Art should be independent of all claptrap - should stand alone." "The Little Mast" demonstrates Whistler's commitment to “art for art’s sake”, through its delicate composition, that makes the viewer consider the beauty present even in the most unexpected places.