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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

Book Description

This two-volume slipcased set is one of the most magnificent accomplishments of our time in both art scolarship and book production. ... Read more

Book Description

James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903), the American-born artist who spent much of his working life in London, played a crucial role in the development of 20th-century modernism. His art was profoundly influenced by the written word, especially the writings of Baudelaire, Swinburne, Mallarmé, and Edgar Allan Poe. This book examines literary and other aspects of Whistler's modernity, discusses his relationship with English and French painting, and sheds new light on his famous libel trial with art critic John Ruskin. ... Read more

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Planning only a brief stay in Venice in 1879, Whistler found himselfenchanted by the city's beauty and remained for more than a year. This lovely book is thefirst to follow Whistler's progress throughout Venice as he produced fifty etchings, a fewoils, and a remarkable group of one hundred pastels. Alongside each of his evocativeportraits of the city are photographs of the actual site. Published for the Paul MellonCentre for Studies in British Art. ... Read more

Book Description

James McNeill Whistler was a leading figure in the revival of lithography in the late 19th century.His lithographs focus upon scenes and themes earlier explored in his paintings, etchings, and pastels. Using transfer paper, he created the effects of drawing, and with a few lines was able to convey a total picture. Working with the London printer Thomas Way and his son T. R. Way, Whistler initially hoped the lithographs would bring him a mass audience and financial security; later he hoped connoisseurs would collect his quiet, understated images as precious objects of enduring value.

Steven Block began assembling his important collection in the late 1970s. It includes early experiments, portraits of friends and family, studio models, shop and street scenes, and sketches of the Thames and its bridges. ... Read more