The Seashore, 1883-1885, James Abbot McNeill Whistler, American, 1834 - 1903, 3 1/4 x 6 in. (8.26 x 15.24 cm)13 1/4 x 15 1/2 in. (33.66 x 39.37 cm) (outer frame), Oil on thin board, United States, 19th century, Pigments almost the sheerness of a glaze stroked subtly onto the surface of a panel is a hallmark of James Whistler's technique. In The Seashore three bands of color serve as visual shorthand for shore, sea and sky. Each stroke of the ships and figures, as well as the artist's butterfly monogram at bottom right, are distinct elements justified only by their role in achieving perfect balance within the composition.