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.
La Mère Gérard - James McNeill Whistler
Regular price
£28.00 GBP
Sale price
£28.00 GBP
Regular price
Archival giclée
Frames arrive ready to hang
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Made to order
Description
A 1858 etching by James McNeill Whistler depicting a Parisian flower seller, showcasing his early mastery of line and shadow.
La Mère Gérard is a notable etching from James McNeill Whistler's first published set, known as the French Set or Twelve Etchings from Nature. Produced in 1858, this work captures a familiar figure from the Latin Quarter in Paris, a woman who sold flowers and matches to students. Whistler depicts her with a direct, observational approach that avoids sentimentality. The composition focuses on the figure standing against a sparse background. Whistler employs varied line weights to define her form, using dense cross-hatching to create the deep shadows of her cloak, while employing lighter, more delicate strokes for the facial features and the texture of her apron. The etching demonstrates his early mastery of the medium, showing an interest in the character of his subjects rather than idealised beauty. The plate includes the signature of the artist and the address of the printer, Delâtre, at the bottom, which was a common practice for his early editions. This print offers a glimpse into the bohemian life of mid-nineteenth-century Paris. Whistler lived in the city during this period, and his work often documented the people he encountered in the streets and cafes. The technical execution shows the influence of Rembrandt, whose etchings Whistler studied closely. By focusing on a humble subject, he elevates a mundane encounter into a study of human presence. The stark contrast between the dark, heavy cloak and the lighter areas of the figure's clothing creates a sense of volume and weight. This piece remains a primary example of his early graphic work, reflecting his ability to convey personality through minimal means and precise mark-making.
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.
Shipping
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.
Complete The Look
La Mère Gérard - James McNeill Whistler
Regular price
From £28.00 GBP
Sale price
From £28.00 GBP
Regular price
Fine Art Poster / A4 (21x29.7 cm) / -
Our Features
Designed for Lasting Impact
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
Made to order
Choose your finish
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.
Premium Box Frame
From £85
A deeper solid wood frame: 33mm deep with a 20mm face and Perspex glaze. The print sits unmounted for a clean gallery presentation. Black, white or natural.
Canvas
From £30
Hand-stretched canvas with neat gallery-wrapped edges, giving the artwork surface texture and depth. Arrives ready to hang.
Framed Canvas
From £135
Stretched canvas set in a floating wood frame, our most substantial finish. Arrives ready to hang.
Why Choose Us ?
Damage-free delivery guarantee
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Museum-Quality Materials
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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