Product Description
James McNeill Whistler was an American-born painter and etcher. He wrote more than 5000 letters which, with his published writing and conversations, illuminate his work and his contentious relations with the art world of the time. This book includes 75 items: letters (many unpublished before) and material recording his disillusion with English approaches to art and his response to the French, Scottish and American art worlds. Whistler was a friend of the Pre-Raphaelites and a enjoyed a fruitful dialogue with Swinburne and with Wilde (whom he later accused of plagiarism) and emerged at the centre of the Aesthetic Movement. Against Ruskin (who attacked him) he won a libel suit and a farthing's damages. The trial sharpened Whistler's polemical gifts and he wrote stinging pamphlets and letters to the press. ... Read more

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Great exhibition catalog featuring the art of American artist James McNeill Whistler. 36 black and white illustrations of paintings and drawings by Whistler, also 8 full-page color illustrations. Includes chronology / biography of the artist and bibliography.Softcover. 127 pages. Measures 7 by 9 1/2 inches. Interesting book / exhibit catalog, nicely illustrated. ... Read more

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"As music is the poetry of sound, so is painting the poetry of sight," declared Whistler, who often titled his harmoniously composed paintings in musical terms. Arrangement in Grey and Black: Portrait of the Painter's Mother, ("Whistler's Mother") appears in this vibrant collection, along with At the Piano, Symphony in White No. 2: The Little White Girl, Nocturne: Blue and Gold--St. Mark's, Venice, and 20 others. Dover Original.
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This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Book Description
Presenting concise overviews of artists and movements that are uniquely American, these volumes distill the essence of their subjects with authoritative texts and lavish illustrations.

James McNeill Whistler was a rebel, dandy, wit, eccentric, and above all, an extraordinary artist. Here is a stunning visual portrait that traces the artist's career from early works to late, minimalist paintings. ... Read more

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Presents a biography of James McNeill Whistler ... Read more

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Painter, etcher, draughtsman, lithographer, watercolourist, and author of critical essays and aphorisms, James McNeill Whistler had a tremendous influence on the art and aesthetics of his era. Born in Massachusetts in 1834, he settled in London when he was 25 years old and for the next four decades produced hundreds of highly acclaimed (and sometimes highly criticised) works, often concentrating on two or more media at the same time. His prodigious output and proficiency, along with his eccentricities, polemics, and arguments with critics, won him wide recognition. This catalogue raisonne of Whistler's drawings, pastels and watercolours makes available many of his works that have never before been exhibited or published and demonstrates the wide range of his art. His drawings reveal the everyday working out of his ideas and note the world as it passed by Whistler with vigour and humour. The pastels include sensitive portraits, vigorous studies of models in the studio, and detailed views of Venetian palaces. The watercolours, perhaps his finest works, catch the subtle colours of northern skies and ever-changing seascapes.The catalogue raisonne begins with an introductory essay on Whistler's life and includes over 1700 entries and 1600 illustrations. Every extant work by Whistler, and many now missing, have been catalogued and reproduced, many in colour. ... Read more

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A biography of the painter and decorative artist set against the background of the Victorian era, examining his sometimes controversial personal life, his friendship with other contemporary painters, and assessing his artistic career. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

A Superb Work of Art History & Biography
As an art collector of primarily 19th Century European Art, reading as much as possible on the subject is an indespensible part of the process of building - as well as enjoying - a worthwhile collection.Not the least of the joy of this journey is becoming acquainted with the many fascinating characters who played their parts in such a vastly complex cultural drama as unfolded in 19th Century Europe.

To write an historical biography book as vastly complex as this, any author is challenged with fairly and accurately depicting the artist, his many dealers, critics and patrons, as well as friends & family.Then, placing this cast within the flow of the larger social, political, and economic trends of the period.A lot of balls to keep in the air without confusing the reader.

Like any other group, we can visualize the quality of the results of such authors as falling into something akin to a bell curve.A "normal distribution", if you will.And as one would expect, only very few place at the far right portion of the curve.This book is one of those rare gems.

Even when compared to the well written biographies of J.M.W. Turner, John Constable, Mary Cassatt, and Renoir this volume stands out.

The depth and quality of the research is unsurpassed, in my opinion.
As is the authors brilliant handling of the daunting task of selecting and organizing all that material into a flowing narrative that informs, holds the attention and entertains.

James NcHeill Whistler: Beyond the Myth rings all those bells clearly and harmoniously.In fact, of the many art historical works I've read the only one which stands on equal ground is John Rewald's outstanding work:The History of Impressionism.

If you're looking for a sometimes exciting, humorous, and honestly told story of a visionary artistic genius who, despite his character flaws, produced some of the finest art of the 19th Century?This book is a must read.

Whistler: Egotist and Great Artist!
James McNeill Whistler is perhaps best known for his "Arrangement in Grey and Black", also known as "Whistler's Mother." Except for art historians and perhaps some interested art collectors, his "Nocturne in Black and Gold" (which I like) is little known to the public. The furor that the later painting caused (including Whistler's suit against Ruskin over the latter's criticism of the work), seems odd to us now, but it nearly ruined Whistler, who won the suit but went bankrupt in the process. My own impression is that Ruskin was the biggest egotist in this contest, but both were pretty obnoxious. Whistler was famous during his lifetime for being arrogant and egotistical. However, at least he had something to be arrogant about- he was a genuinely great artist; an artist who influenced later artists such as Picasso, Rothko and probably Matisse.

Ronald Anderson and Anne Koval have, in a meticulously researched book, given us a full account of Whistler and his times in "James McNeil Whistler: Beyond the Myth". Whistler's triumphs and failures, as well as his sometimes tragic personal life are all here. His wife's death from cancer was particularly touching and his devotion to her spoke well of him, despite his other faults.

This is also a very interesting period in the history of art as Whistler went one way and Gauguin and Van Gough another in diverging from the impressionist's methods. Whatever can be said about Whistler, it must be noted that he had an impact on art and this is about as much as can be said for any artist. That he had major flaws is not contestable, but his great contribution to the development of modern art is (I think - as a somewhat informed layman) also not contestable.

This is a good book for those interested in the development of modern art from Impressionism.There are several other recent books on Whistler, which I have not read so I cannot compare them, however I recommend this book highly based on its own merits.

THE ARTIST BEHIND THE MYTH
This life rendering of many faceted artist James McNeill Whistler is fine reading and a treasured contribution to the annals of art history.

Taking the best of Impressionism and Realism, Whistler's uniquely individual treatments of color are unforgettable.We think of "Nocturne In Blue and Gold," his muted yet powerful study of London's Old Battersea Bridge.

Born in Massachusetts in 1834, Whistler spent part of his youth in Russia.For a time he lived in Paris, where he was an adherent of Courbet's.Later, he settled in London, becoming a friend of Oscar Wilde's and a visible "dandy" of the art circuit.

Whistler's intriguing personal self seemed to belie the public persona he assiduously created.English art historians Anderson and Koval have, indeed, revealed the man behind the myth.

- Gail Cooke ... Read more

Product Description
James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903) left the United States for Europe at the age of twenty-one, never to return, and his style developed independently of American art currents. Nonetheless, he left an indelible mark on the art of his native land, for his modernist aesthetic influenced the work of a generation of American painters. This beautifully illustrated book-published to commemorate the centenary of the artist's death-addresses Whistler's extraordinary legacy and establishes his pivotal place in the history of American art.After Whistler juxtaposes fourteen of the artist's most important works with an array of pictures by thirty-eight other American painters-including Henry Ossawa Tanner, William Merritt Chase, and John Singer Sargent-to demonstrate how Whistler's American contemporaries were affected by his techniques, color palette, compositions, and subject matter. The introduction to the book provides an overview of Whistler's association with American artists and the reception of his work in the United States. The essays that follow discuss Whistler's Venetian sojourn and its effect on the American artists who flocked to that city; his relationship with Philadelphia's art community; the Whistler Memorial Exhibition held in Boston in 1904; and much more.This insightful volume is essential reading for anyone interested in American art and Whistler's role in its history. ... Read more

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Records the extraordinary friendship between the American expatriate artist James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903) & his most significant patron, Charles Lang Freer (1954-1919). Their relationship proved to be mutually beneficial. Freer wanted to assemble a collection of Whistler's works & Whistler was eager to establish a reputation in the U.S. Freer's admiration for Whistler as an artist & affection for him as a friend led to the establishment of the Smithsonian Institution's Freer Gallery of Art. The 89 letters, telegrams, cablegrams, & calling cards cited here chronicle the growth of Freer's Whistler collection. Heavily illustrated. ... Read more