Thames Police 1859

Curator: This etching is titled "Thames Police," created by James Abbott McNeill Whistler. Note the dimensions; it's a rather intimate plate, only about 6 by 9 inches. Editor: The grittiness of the scene strikes me first—a real working river, heavy with the weight of industry and perhaps something more...illicit. Curator: Whistler masterfully uses line to create a sense of depth and atmosphere. See how the density of hatching increases in the darker areas, building form and shadow. Editor: Symbolically, water often represents the unconscious. The Thames, then, becomes this murky repository of London's hidden aspects, both commercial and criminal. Curator: And note how the composition itself, with its emphasis on the horizontal lines of the river and docks, reinforces this feeling of grounded reality. Editor: True. This is not the idealized vision of the river you'd find in Turner; this is about the everyday, the unseen. Whistler captures the undercurrents of London life. Curator: An excellent point, and it's all meticulously rendered through the careful application of etching. A real tour de force of the medium. Editor: A fascinating glimpse into the cultural landscape of Victorian London, made even richer through Whistler's careful hand.