Whistler 1834 - 1903

by Robin Spencer

As renowned for his wit and sparkling invective as for his painting, James Abbott McNeill Whistler (1834-1903) was one of the great artistic personalities of the 19th century. Born in America and trained in Paris, Whistler nevertheless chose in 1859 to settle in Victorian London. In the midst of a society he considered to be ruled by social foibles and conservatism, however, he always remained nostalgic for the America described by the stories of Bret Harte and Mark Twain. His landscapes and portraits, which he called nocturnes, harmonies and symphonies, formed a unique vision of the world around him, very different from the interpretation proposed by his Impressionist counterparts across the Channel, and quite unlike anything the English critics had ever seen before. Eccentric in manner and dress – dapper in his white duck and tall top hat – the American dandy in London was often misunderstood. He exhibited extensively in Europe and America, however, and became respected and indeed highly regarded by his fellow artists and by literary figures such as Mallarmé and Proust. Only since his death has his major influence on the development of 20th painting been fully recognized. The author, Robin Spencer (1944-2018) was an important chronicler of Whistler and did several books on him. He was a research fellow and senior lecturer in art history at the University of Glasgow and the University of St. Andrew’s in Scotland.

144 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 1990

Reviews

[Bernie4444 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who was Whistler?

If you just want a coffee table book. This critter will work fine.

However, we find that this book is way more than just a coffee table book. It is a well-organized chronological biography of Whistler and the world he grew up in.

There are 139 plates; mostly Whistler's but there are pictures from other contemporaries. One of my favorites is number 16, Beata Beatrix, by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 1864-70.

A good companion to the book would be the PBS program:
James Mcneill Whistler & The Case for Beauty.