Green and Blue: The Dancer by James Abbott McNeill Whistler - c. 1893 - 27.5 × 18.3 cm Art Institute of Chicago Green and Blue: The Dancer by James Abbott McNeill Whistler - c. 1893 - 27.5 × 18.3 cm Art Institute of Chicago

Green and Blue: The Dancer

Watercolor and opaque watercolor over traces of black chalk on brown wove paper laid down on card • 27.5 × 18.3 cm
  • James Abbott McNeill Whistler - July 10, 1834 - July 17, 1903 James Abbott McNeill Whistler c. 1893

At some point in his artistic career around the 1890s, James McNeill Whistler became obsessed with portraying the female form clad in diaphanous drapery. Inspired by Greek sculpture and Japanese prints, he developed this theme in all the media in which he worked, including transfer lithography, oil, pastel, and watercolor. The artist usually provided garments for his models, often classical gossamer gowns with high waists and crossed bodices paired with brightly colored kerchiefs. Most of all Whistler was looking for a perfect pose of his models; he sometimes asked them to dance about his studio until he caught the pose. 

Hope you are having a dancing day!  :)