Realism, Pre-Impressionism, and Pre-Raphaelites: James Abbott McNeill Whistler (1834-1903)

James Abbott McNeill Whistler:

James Abbott McNeill Whistler was an American-born artist credited with spearheading the Anglo-Japanese style in fine art. Delighted by Japanese art, he incorporated Japanese aesthetic into his imaginative compositions. This can be shown through his celebrated signature style of a limited colour palette and tonal contrast while skewing perspective to show a new compositional approach that emphasized the flat and abstract quality of his paintings. He also depended on the theory of “art for art’s sake”, meaning art needs no justification. As a result of this theory, he gave musical titles to his paintings, such as “Harmony” and “Symphony”, because he thought that music was the most abstract of all arts. These abstract titles then made viewers more focussed on his manipulation of paint rather than the subject matter.

Whistler’s works are very interesting to me. His art is very picturesque and does not hold a lot of realism, yet he has successfully created very aesthetic paintings where you can appreciate his brushwork and skill. I enjoy his works and the sense of peace they bring.

Artworks:

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References:

• Sutton, Denys. “James McNeill Whistler.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 13 July 2018, www.britannica.com/biography/James-McNeill-Whistler
• “James Abbott McNeill Whistler Overview and Analysis.” The Art Story, www.theartstory.org/artist-whistler-james-abbott-mcneill.htm.