James Whistler: 180 Master Drawings

By Blagoy Kiroff

James Abbott McNeill Whistler was The American painter, etcher, and lithographer who created a new set of principles for the fine arts, favored "art for art's sake", and introduced a delicate style of painting in which atmosphere and mood were the main focus. Establishing himself as a painter in Paris and London, Whistler developed his distinctive style, utilizing muted colors and simple forms. His masterpiece is largely credited as "Whistler's Mother" ("Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1"). His work later provided the inspiration for Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890).

In later years Whistler devoted himself increasingly to etching, drypoint, lithography, and interior decoration.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Blagoy Kiroff
• Release date: Jun 4, 2015
• ISBN: 9786050385182

Book preview

Drawings

Foreword

James Abbott McNeill Whistler was The American painter, etcher, and lithographer who created a new set of principles for the fine arts, favoured art for art's sake, and introduced a delicate style of painting in which atmosphere and mood were the main focus. Establishing himself as a painter in Paris and London, Whistler developed his distinctive style, utilizing muted colors and simple forms. His masterpiece is largely credited as Whistler's Mother (Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1). His work later provided the inspiration for Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890).

Whistler was born in Lowell, Massachusetts. In 1843 he moved with his family to St. Petersburg, Russia, where his father, an engineer, supervised the construction of a railroad line. Whistler received his first instruction in art in Russia. Returning to the United States, he entered the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1851, but was dismissed for poor grades. To earn a living he became a draughtsman, drawing and making etchings for topographical maps.

Whistler soon left for Paris, where he studied in the atelier of Charles-Gabriel Gleyre. Formal instruction influenced him less, however, than his friendship with the French realist painter