The embroidered curtain

Whistler, James McNeill, 1834-1903 · [1889]

Across a cobblestone pavement bordering on a canal and faced by a wooden bulkhead, there are two adjoining house-fronts of similar construction. Each shows two doorways, adjacent to a large window above windows about a doorway opening upon the pavement, and in each second story is a square window flanked by two narrow windows. Below each central window is a square plaque, and on the wall at the left is a round plaque. In the large window at the right and in the window over the adjacent doorway is a curtain with a pattern. In the upper part of the doorway opening on the pavement at the left is the sign, Water te vuur." There are children on the pavement and people in all the doorways, except the doorway at the extreme right, which is closed. Two figures appear in open window at the right. There are extensive reflections in the canal. The butterfly, shaded, is on the round plaque.