Nocturne Furnace c. 1880

James McNeill Whistler's etching, Nocturne Furnace, presents us with the age-old symbol of the window. Here we see two windows, one framing figures at work, the other framing onlookers; liminal spaces that mediate between the exterior and interior. The window motif appears across eras. From Renaissance paintings where windows offer a glimpse of the divine, to Romantic landscapes where they frame nature's sublime power. The window is a threshold, and a site of observation. Psychologically, the window represents our desire to understand the world while remaining protected. It is an invitation to look, and to be seen, yet simultaneously, it protects. This deeply ingrained tension manifests here in the interplay of light and shadow, drawing us into Whistler’s industrial scene, while maintaining a critical distance. A visual dance that captures our collective fascination with the seen and the unseen.