Whistler and Roussel: Linked Visions

After seeing Theodore Roussel’s watercolor The Thames Embankment, Chelsea at a London gallery in 1885, the already well-established James McNeill Whistler requested an introduction to the younger artist. Their meeting sparked more than a decade of professional collaboration that included side-by-side working sessions and camaraderie in both public and private settings. As a result of this communal creativity, Whistler, Roussel, and their artistic circle made remarkable technical and aesthetic developments in lithography and color etching. This exhibition—built around the Art Institute’s exceptional holdings of works on paper by Whistler and a recent major gift of works by Roussel—offers a new perspective on this artistic network and the resulting innovation through 175 objects, including etchings, lithographs, drawings, paintings, and artist-designed frames.

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