James McNeill Whistler
1834–1903 · Simbolismo y modernismo
Biografía
James McNeill Whistler (1834–1903), artista estadounidense afincado en París y Londres, fue una figura clave del esteticismo y de su lema «el arte por el arte». Su obra más famosa es el retrato de su madre.
Episodios de su vida
James McNeill Whistler (1834–1903), pintor estadounidense activo en París y Londres, defendió el arte por el arte. Sus «sinfonías» y «nocturnos» dan prioridad a la armonía de los tonos sobre el tema.
De la página de Composición en gris y negro n.º 1 (Retrato de la madre del artista)
Whistler attached great importance to the choice of materials for his works. Many of his Venetian pastels, including Stormy Sunset, were made on quality brown pastel paper, a supply of which he had received as a gift from the London printer Thomas Way before his departure. Thanks to his creative productivity, he soon needed more sheets. Through an ingenious English artist he found a good number of coloured papers in a Venetian warehouse. As a result his later pastels of the city were made on bright pink, yellow and blue sheets. Whistler used two sets: one box contained his favourite, interestingly coloured smaller pieces of chalk, while he reserved the other box for his most important pictures.
De la página de Puesta de sol tormentosa
