La Mere Gerard c. 1856

"La Mere Gerard" is an etching created by American artist James Abbott McNeill Whistler around 1856. The work depicts a woman in a simple dress and shawl, standing with her back to the viewer. This etching is characteristic of Whistler’s early work, which often focused on subjects from everyday life and the working class. Whistler's interest in capturing the beauty of the mundane, including the clothing and gestures of ordinary people, is a key element of his style.