James Abbott McNeill Whistler (b. July 11, 1834, Lowell, Massachusetts, Massachusetts, USA - d. July 17, 1904, Greater London, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland) was an American painter, later naturalized in Great Britain, with his own style oscillating between realism, symbolism and impressionism, trained in the Parisian schools of painting.
The artist's seemingly simple style, sometimes called tonalism, brought bold innovations to painting. At a time when realism, and later impressionism, based their creative process on direct observation of nature, Whistler chose other, more refined artistic modes.
His painting reveals new, exotic horizons. His landscapes give the impression of coming from another world, and his portraits plumb the depths of intimate solitude.
James McNeill Whistler's Life and work
James Abbott McNeill Whistler was born on 11 July 1834 in Lowell, Massachusetts. His father, George Washington Whistler, was a railroad engineer; the painter's mother, Anna Matylda McNeill, came from a very Puritan provincial family.
In 1843, George W. Whistler went to Russia to supervise the construction of the Moscow-St. Petersburg Railway. In 1845, at the age of 11, young James enrolled at the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg. In 1849, his father dies; the family returns to the United States and settles in Pomfret, Connecticut.
In July 1851, James enrolled at the West Point Military Academy, which he left after three years. In November 1854, he finds employment with the Bureau of Marine Mapping in Washington, D.C., where he becomes familiar with the methods of making maps.
In February 1855, Whistler resigns and decides to go to Paris to study painting. On November 3, 1855, he arrives in the French capital, little suspecting that he will never return to the United States.
Period of study in Paris
Whistler enthusiastically discovers the artistic world of Paris. Here he attended the Imperial School of Drawing and, in 1856, enrolled in the studio of the painter Charles Gleyre. He earns some money making copies of masterpieces for commissions in the Louvre, where he has the opportunity to admire the works of his favourite painter, Velázquez.
The artist travels widely. In London he visits the exhibits in the National Gallery, in Manchester he has the opportunity to visit the great retrospective exhibition of Velázquez, Frans Hals and Vermeer. In Paris he meets Gustave Courbet, the master of realism, who will have a great influence on his painting for a while.
"At the Piano" is Whistler's first major work. The artist submits the painting for exhibition at the Salon in 1859, but the jury considers it "too original" and rejects it. Whistler's friend, the painter François Bonvin, exhibits the work in his studio in Paris, where Courbet has the opportunity to see it. The master of realism congratulates the American artist on his successful debut in painting.
In 1862, Whistler exhibits a series of prints at the Martinet art gallery in Paris, the subject of the works being landscapes of the River Thames. He also exhibited his work in England, including in the halls of the Royal Academy in London. In December 1862, he leaves Paris with his girlfriend Joanna Hifferman and settles permanently in England.
Early career in England
In London, the artist lived in the Chelsea district on the left bank of the Thames. Whistler holds meetings with art people every Sunday, the lively discussions lasting until dawn. The behaviour of the original American, who has arrived from Paris, is a source of amazement to Londoners.
Whistler's aesthetic refinement in everyday life, to which he pays particular attention, is often accused of an excessive cult of appearances; people consider him a shallow and provocative dandy. The dislike of Whistler as a person is matched by the coldness with which his creations are received. His exhibition in 1873 turns into a material fiasco.
Whistler lives and works in England, but travels often to France and exhibits regularly in Paris. In 1863, he took part in the "Salon des Refusés", where Édouard Manet's painting "Lunch on the Grass" caused a scandal. Whistler also arouses angry reactions. Critics reproach him for his extravagant behaviour and do not take his paintings seriously.
In his mid-sixties, Whistler is increasingly lonely and is going through an emotional and artistic crisis. In the autumn of 1865, he and his girlfriend Joanna visit Courbet in Trouville. Courbet has an affair with Joanna and paints her portrait: "The Irish Beauty". Whistler quarrels with Courbet and returns to England alone.
In March-September 1866, Whistler makes a long trip through South America; he stays longer in Valparaiso (Chile). Back in England, Whistler seeks new avenues in painting, he would like to express himself more finely and originally.
In 1867, when four paintings were exhibited at the World Exhibition in Paris, Whistler won the appreciation of his fellow artists. But the public and critics again reacted unfavourably.
Artistic consecration
Whistler now seeks recognition in the British art world. He connects with the pre-Raphaelites who were achieving great success in England. He exhibits often in London galleries and works more and more. He paints more than thirty 'Nocturnes', with London night motifs, especially near the Thames, in an almost monochrome manner with harmonious colour effects.
In 1871 he produced his famous painting 'Arrangement in Grey and Black: The Artist's Mother". A decisive turning point in his career was his first solo exhibition at the Flemish Gallery in 1874, where he exhibited more than eighty paintings: paintings, drawings and prints.
Between April 1876 and February 1877, Whistler decorated the London residence of the collector Frederick Richards Leyland, which would be called "The Peacock Room". The artist paints large monochromatic surfaces, achieving an impressive interior result. From here on even experts will have to admit that they are dealing with an artist of great talent.
In 1877, Whistler sues the art critic John Ruskin, accusing him of insult and libel. He had claimed in an article, referring to Whistler's painting 'Night in Black and Gold - Rain of Fireworks', that the artist had not only thrown a pot of paint in front of the public, but had also had the impertinence to demand two hundred guineas for it.
Whisler wins the case with a paltry damages award, but ends up on the verge of bankruptcy, having to pay half the costs of the trial. An unexpected order for 12 Venetian-themed prints from the Fine Art Gallery is his lifeline. In September 1879, the artist left for Italy, where he stayed in Venice for over a year.
After returning to London in November 1880, Whistler exhibited his etchings and pastels to great success. The value of his work is also recognised in France. The painting entitled "Arrangement in grey and black No. 1 - the artist's mother", exhibited at the Salon of 1883, is bought by the French state for the official collections.
In 1885, Whistler gave the famous "Ten o'clock" lecture in London, in which he set out his views on art, this "restless deity", in his own words. The lecture is also published in France, translated by the poet Stéphane Mallarmé.
By the end of the eighties, Whistler was already enjoying international fame. His artistic creation was awarded gold medals in Chicago, Amsterdam and Munich, and in 1892 he was awarded the Order of the Legion of Honour in Paris.
In the late nineties, he is physically very tired. In 1902, he contracted a serious flu with complications and, despite his poor health, he prepared a major retrospective exhibition, which did not open until 1905, two years after his death. Whistler died on 17 July 1903 in England. He is buried in Chiswick Cemetery, a suburb of London.