James McNeill Whistler: Beyond the Myth

As an art collector of primarily 19th Century European Art, reading as much as possible on the subject is an indespensible part of the process of building - as well as enjoying - a worthwhile collection. Not the least of the joy of this journey is becoming acquainted with the many fascinating characters who played their parts in such a vastly complex cultural drama as unfolded in 19th Century Europe. To write an historical biography book as vastly complex as this, any author is challenged with fairly and accurately depicting the artist, his many dealers, critics and patrons, as well as friends & family. Then, placing this cast within the flow of the larger social, political, and economic trends of the period. A lot of balls to keep in the air without confusing the reader. Like any other group, we can visualize the quality of the results of such authors as falling into something akin to a bell curve. A "normal distribution", if you will. And as one would expect, only very few place at the far right portion of the curve. This book is one of those rare gems. Even when compared to the well written biographies of J.M.W. Turner, John Constable, Mary Cassatt, and Renoir this volume stands out. The depth and quality of the research is unsurpassed, in my opinion. As is the authors brilliant handling of the daunting task of selecting and organizing all that material into a flowing narrative that informs, holds the attention and entertains. James NcHeill Whistler: Beyond the Myth rings all those bells clearly and harmoniously. In fact, of the many art historical works I've read the only one which stands on equal ground is John Rewald's outstanding work: The History of Impressionism. If you're looking for a sometimes exciting, humorous, and honestly told story of a visionary artistic genius who, despite his character flaws, produced some of the finest art of the 19th Century? This book is a must read.

James McNeill Whistler is perhaps best known for his "Arrangement in Grey and Black", also known as "Whistler's Mother." Except for art historians and perhaps some interested art collectors, his "Nocturne in Black and Gold" (which I like) is little known to the public. The furor that the later painting caused (including Whistler's suit against Ruskin over the latter's criticism of the work), seems odd to us now, but it nearly ruined Whistler, who won the suit but went bankrupt in the process. My own impression is that Ruskin was the biggest egotist in this contest, but both were pretty obnoxious. Whistler was famous during his lifetime for being arrogant and egotistical. However, at least he had something to be arrogant about- he was a genuinely great artist; an artist who influenced later artists such as Picasso, Rothko and probably Matisse. Ronald Anderson and Anne Koval have, in a meticulously researched book, given us a full account of Whistler and his times in "James McNeil Whistler: Beyond the Myth". Whistler's triumphs and failures, as well as his sometimes tragic personal life are all here. His wife's death from cancer was particularly touching and his devotion to her spoke well of him, despite his other faults. This is also a very interesting period in the history of art as Whistler went one way and Gauguin and Van Gough another in diverging from the impressionist's methods. Whatever can be said about Whistler, it must be noted that he had an impact on art and this is about as much as can be said for any artist. That he had major flaws is not contestable, but his great contribution to the development of modern art is (I think - as a somewhat informed layman) also not contestable. This is a good book for those interested in the development of modern art from Impressionism. There are several other recent books on Whistler, which I have not read so I cannot compare them, however I recommend this book highly based on its own merits.

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