James Abbott McNeill Whistler

by Joan M. Rehlin
James Abbott McNeill Whistler, an American-born British-based artist, was a leading proponent of "art for art's sake” and a major influence on the art and culture of his time. He used a stylized butterfly with a long stinger as his painting signature, which represented both sides of his personality: a sensitive nature and a combative public persona. ​Finding a parallel between painting and music, Whistler (7/10/1834 – 7/17/1903) included ”arrangement,” "nocturne,” or “symphony” in the title of many of his paintings, to emphasize tonal harmony and composition rather than subject matter.

​Whistler’s universally recognized work is Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1 — better known as Whistler's Mother — but instead we opted to share one of his lesser-known pieces, Symphony in White No. 3. This was initially exhibited at London’s Royal Academy, beginning in 1867. 

Symphony in White No. 3, 1867, oil on canvas, by James Abbott McNeill Whistler