From the artist's life
Whistler sued critic John Ruskin for libel over a near-abstract Nocturne — and won, but was awarded just one farthing and ruined by the costs.
Source: Wikipedia / WikimediaRealism
James McNeill Whistler
James McNeill Whistler (1834–1903) was an American-born painter in London who championed art for art's sake. He treated his canvases as visual music — his mother's portrait is famously titled Arrangement in Grey and Black.
Whistler's emphasis on harmony over story pushed Western art toward abstraction.
- Championed art for art's sake, titling works like musical Nocturnes and Arrangements.
- His Whistler's Mother became an unlikely global icon.
- Won a famous libel suit against Ruskin — for a single farthing.
Key works
Where to start
Complete list of key works
Works with a dedicated ArtAtlas page are highlighted in gold.
- Whistler's MotherOn ArtAtlas
- Symphony in White, No. 1: The White GirlListed for reference
- Nocturne in Black and Gold – The Falling RocketListed for reference
- Nocturne: Blue and Silver – ChelseaListed for reference
- Nocturne: Blue and Gold – Old Battersea BridgeListed for reference
- The Peacock RoomListed for reference
- The Princess from the Land of PorcelainListed for reference
- Arrangement in Grey and Black, No. 2: Portrait of Thomas CarlyleListed for reference
- Symphony in White, No. 3Listed for reference
- Portrait of Lady MeuxListed for reference
- Mother of Pearl and Silver: The AndalusianListed for reference
1871
Whistler's Mother
Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1, best known under its colloquial name Whistler's Mother or Portrait of Artist's Mother, is a painting in oils on canvas created by the American-born painter James McNeill Whistler in 1871.