Fine Art Poster
From £28
A giclée print on 200gsm matte fine art paper, using a twelve-colour process for accurate, fade-resistant colour. Supplied unframed, delivered flat or rolled.
Swan and Iris - James McNeill Whistler
Prix régulier
£28.00 GBP
Prix de vente
£28.00 GBP
Prix régulier
Archival giclée
Frames arrive ready to hang
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Made to order
Description
A delicate etching by James McNeill Whistler, featuring a swan and an iris rendered with minimal, atmospheric lines.
This etching by James McNeill Whistler demonstrates his mastery of the drypoint and etched line. The composition is sparse, reflecting the influence of Japanese woodblock prints on his work. Whistler often sought to capture the atmospheric quality of a scene rather than its literal details. Here, the swan and the iris are rendered with minimal strokes, allowing the negative space of the paper to suggest the water and the surrounding air.
The background features a faint, hazy suggestion of a riverbank with boats, rendered with light, quick marks that contrast with the more defined forms of the foreground subjects. This technique creates a sense of depth without relying on traditional perspective. The dark, heavy shading in the upper left corner provides a visual anchor, balancing the lighter, more delicate marks that define the swan and the iris.
Whistler was a proponent of the idea that art should exist for its own sake, focusing on the arrangement of line, form, and tone. This print is an example of his ability to distil a scene to its essential elements. The paper texture remains visible, adding a tactile quality to the work. It is a quiet, contemplative image that invites close observation of the artist's economy of line. The print reflects his interest in the Thames and the urban waterways of London, where he spent much of his career. By focusing on a single swan and a solitary iris, Whistler elevates a common sight into a study of form and balance.
Return policy
Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Complete The Look
Swan and Iris - James McNeill Whistler
Prix régulier
À partir de £28.00 GBP
Prix de vente
À partir de £28.00 GBP
Prix régulier
Fine Art Poster / A4 (21x29.7 cm) / -
Artist Biography
James Mcneill Whistler
Whistler was expelled from West Point for failing his chemistry exam. Asked to discuss silicon, he opened by calling it a gas. He later said: had silicon been a gas, I would have been a major general. He had accumulated demerits for keeping his hair longer than allowed and talking back to instructors. He appealed the expulsion all the way to the superintendent, Robert E. Lee. Lee declined.
He was born in 1834 in Lowell, Massachusetts. His father, a civil engineer, took the family to St Petersburg to advise on the railroad to Moscow. The young Whistler took drawing classes at the Imperial Academy of Sciences. After the West Point disaster, he briefly worked for the US Coast and Geodetic Survey, learning the etching techniques he would use for the rest of his career, then left for Paris. He never lived in America again.
The painting everyone knows as Whistler's Mother is actually called Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1. He named his works with musical terms (Nocturnes, Arrangements, Harmonies, Symphonies) to insist that painting was about tonal composition, not subject matter. The painting of his mother was about grey and black. That it also depicted his mother was, in principle, secondary.
In 1877, John Ruskin reviewed his Nocturne in Black and Gold: The Falling Rocket and wrote that he never expected to hear a coxcomb ask two hundred guineas for flinging a pot of paint in the public's face. Whistler sued for libel. The case was heard over two days in November 1878. He won, and was awarded damages of one farthing, the least valuable coin in the realm. The legal costs bankrupted him.
He signed his work with a butterfly. It started as a monogram inspired by the potter's marks on Chinese ceramics he collected, gradually evolving into an abstract butterfly shape. Around 1880, he added a stinger to it, representing both the delicate and the combative sides of his personality. The Peacock Room, his masterpiece of decorative art, extended his obsession with total harmony from a single painting to an entire architectural space.
He was born in 1834 in Lowell, Massachusetts. His father, a civil engineer, took the family to St Petersburg to advise on the railroad to Moscow. The young Whistler took drawing classes at the Imperial Academy of Sciences. After the West Point disaster, he briefly worked for the US Coast and Geodetic Survey, learning the etching techniques he would use for the rest of his career, then left for Paris. He never lived in America again.
The painting everyone knows as Whistler's Mother is actually called Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1. He named his works with musical terms (Nocturnes, Arrangements, Harmonies, Symphonies) to insist that painting was about tonal composition, not subject matter. The painting of his mother was about grey and black. That it also depicted his mother was, in principle, secondary.
In 1877, John Ruskin reviewed his Nocturne in Black and Gold: The Falling Rocket and wrote that he never expected to hear a coxcomb ask two hundred guineas for flinging a pot of paint in the public's face. Whistler sued for libel. The case was heard over two days in November 1878. He won, and was awarded damages of one farthing, the least valuable coin in the realm. The legal costs bankrupted him.
He signed his work with a butterfly. It started as a monogram inspired by the potter's marks on Chinese ceramics he collected, gradually evolving into an abstract butterfly shape. Around 1880, he added a stinger to it, representing both the delicate and the combative sides of his personality. The Peacock Room, his masterpiece of decorative art, extended his obsession with total harmony from a single painting to an entire architectural space.
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Every piece is printed to order. These are the five finishes, and what makes each one different.
Fine Art Framed
From £45
The same fine art print in a solid wood frame with UV-protective acrylic glaze and rigid backing. Five frame colours. Arrives ready to hang.
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