Description

A tree branch in the foreground, the silhouette of a city on the horizon.

According to the Pennells:

'Mrs. Lynedoch Moncrieff was composing the music for some verses of Owen Meredith's. Whistler said he would like to illustrate them. She told him they were about the lark. "Charming," Whistler said "but dear me, what can I do when the only larks I know anything about are larks on toast." She bought from him a small marine.' 1

Edward Robert Bulwer Lytton ('Owen Meredith') (1831-1891) wrote a love poem, 'Thoughts at Sunrise',

'The lark leaves the earth, /With the dew on his breast,/ And my love’s at the birth,/ And my life’s at the best, /What bliss shall I bid the beam bring thee/ To-day, love? / What care shall I bid the breeze fling thee/ Away, love? / What song shall I bid the bird sing thee,/ O say, love? / For the beam, and the breeze, And the birds—all of these/ (Because thou hast loved me) my bidding obey, love. / Now the lark’s in the light,/ And the dew on the bough,/ And my heart’s at the height/ Of the day that dawn’s now.' 2

But it is not clear that Whistler is actually illustrating this.

Site

The distant view, though imaginary, looks like Venice.