A View from the Vault: Whistler’s "Riva"

by Ashley Rye-Kopec, Assistant Director, Museums

As we approach the end of the semester, Main Street in Newark becomes crowded with residents, students, holiday shoppers and more. James McNeill Whistler’s etching The Riva provides a similar opportunity to observe a bustling thoroughfare—although the city depicted is Venice, Italy and the people shown lived nearly 150 years ago.

In its title, The Riva announces its location: the Riva degli Schiavoni is a busy waterfront promenade that extends along the San Marco basin near some of Venice’s most recognizable landmarks, including the Doge’s Palace and the church of San Marco (whose domes are visible in the top right corner of the image). The subject allowed Whistler to incorporate both water and land, boats and buildings—and the variety of Venetian people who navigate or inhabit the space. 

James McNeill Whistler, The Riva, No. 1, 1880. Etching on paper. Museums Collections.

Whistler traveled from London to Venice in the autumn of 1879. Initially, the motivation for the trip was financial: he intended to spend just a few months in Venice to fulfill a commission to produce twelve etchings of Venice for London’s Fine Art Society. Adjusting to Venice initially proved difficult for Whistler, who complained that he missed just about everything about London, including its fog. But like many artists before him, he ultimately succumbed to Venice’s charms and remained in the city for well over a year, returning to London in November 1880. 

Whistler’s desire to remain in Venice was prompted by his belief that the artworks he was producing—including this one—provided a completely unique perspective on the city. We see this in The Riva, where Venice’s famous landmarks and waterfront palaces are pushed to the background. Due to Whistler’s typical practice of working directly on his etching plate, the scene is reversed. While this can be disorienting for viewers who are familiar with Venice’s geography, it allows the etching to stand on its own—related to, but distinct from, its subject. Instead of focusing on Venice’s oft-depicted landmarks, Whistler’s composition is dominated by people. Gondoliers and boatmen rest near the water in anticipation of their next fare. Two women carry on an animated conversation. Children play in front of a bridge. The figures are rendered in a loose, abbreviated style that frequently makes them difficult to identify, but contributes to the sense of Venice as a bustling, “lived-in” city, rather than a relic of the past. 

“A View from the Vault” showcases some of the unique, notable or rare items that are a part of the Special Collections and Museums holdings at the University of Delaware. Each month, we highlight a different work and share interesting facts or intriguing histories about it. If you are interested in seeing any of the materials featured in person or want to learn more about any work showcased in the series, please contact Special Collections and Museums at AskSpec or AskMuseums.