Technique

According to Otto Bacher, Whistler used pen and ink, pastel and paint:

'He drew the [buildings] in pen and ink, and worked over them for days, until their exquisite details were well defined. The clouds ... were drawn in pastels, and on these he labored until their forms were satisfactory. Then he took a big brush, mixed a general tone, and drew it across the buildings, next applying a general tone for the water. The sky was painted a blue which was carefully applied around the forms of the huge, white clouds. The finished picture looked so simple that, unless one had seen the process, he would have thought it the work of one sitting.' 1

Although described by Bacher in the context of other oils (see Nocturne: Venice [YMSM 217]), there would appear to be some doubt from his description whether Santa Maria della Salute, Venice [YMSM 218] was completed in oil or watercolour paint.

Conservation History

Unknown.