James Abbott McNeill Whistler

The Profile

James Abbott McNeill Whistler (1834–1903) was an American-born artist who worked mainly in Britain, known for paintings, etchings and works associated with Tonalism and the Aesthetic movement.

Whistler used musical titles (Arrangements, Nocturnes) and advocated an aesthetic of 'art for art's sake'. His best-known painting is Arrangement in Grey and Black (1871), commonly called 'Whistler's Mother'.

A close reading of KyraCollins' review of Arrangement in Grey and Black (Whistler's Mother). The review situates Whistler within Tonalism and the Aesthetic movement, noting his musical naming conventions (Arrangements, Nocturnes) and the theme of 'art for art's sake'. It treats the painting's notoriety, parodies, and reception.