For centuries, artists have been drawn to the picturesque waterways and grand architecture of Venice. In 1879, James McNeil Whistler first traveled to the city to create a series of prints on commission from a London gallery called the Fine Art Society. He produced over fifty etchings that explored his vision of the locale, many of which were published in the "First" and "Second Venice Sets". Traversing the city, Whistler recorded quick sketches of the subjects that inspired him. He then transformed these views during the printing process by hand-inking and wiping each copper plate, varying the amount of tone used to depict light and shadow expressively. "Nocturne" is the most dramatic example of his “artistic printing.” In this distant view of the churches of Santa Maria della Salute and San Giorgio Maggiore, Whistler turned each impression into a unique image that captures the ephemeral effects of time and weather on sky and water.