Railway Arch c. 1887 - 1892

James McNeill Whistler made this etching, “Railway Arch,” using a metal plate, acid, and ink. In this intaglio process, the artist protects certain areas of the plate with a resist, then bathes it in acid to eat away at the exposed lines. Ink is then pressed into these etched lines, and the plate is pressed onto paper. Here, Whistler uses this linear quality to great effect, rendering the massive arch with surprising delicacy. You can almost feel the dampness of the stone, the chill of the shade beneath the bridge. Though the scene is urban and industrial, Whistler’s artistic touch transforms it into something quite personal and ethereal. The print medium was crucial to Whistler’s project. Inexpensive and portable, etchings like these brought art to a wider audience, challenging the traditional hierarchy between painting and printmaking. So, next time you pass under a railway arch, remember to look closely – you never know what beauty you might find.