Born into a prominent Massachusetts family in 1834, Whistler attended West Point Military Academy, where he excelled at little except drawing and watercolours.After being expelled from West Point he decided, against his mother’s wishes,to pursue art as a career, and soon departed for Paris. There, he joined the vie bohame, studying painting and befriending other members of the young artistic and literary set.

James McNeill Whistler was a rebel, dandy,wit, eccentric, and, above all, an extraordinary artist. This visual portrait traces Whistler’s career and art from his early childhood to adult life in England and France, and from early etchings to late,minimalist paintings--including full-colour reproductions of his most important pieces.

Born into a prominent Massachusetts family in 1834, Whistler attended West Point Military Academy, where he excelled at little except drawing and watercolours.After being expelled from West Point he decided, against his mother’s wishes,to pursue art as a career, and soon departed for Paris. There, he joined the vie bohame, studying painting and befriending other members of the young artistic and literary set.

As his skill and fame grew, so, too, did Whistler’s eccentricity--both personal and artistic. He departed almost entirely from the established, realist style of the day, and developed his own, unique approach emphasising colour and light,based on the principle of art for art’s sake.At home, meanwhile, he lived for a time with his mistress and model, Jo, passionately collected things Japanese, and surrounded himself with young, adoring students.

In spite of his notoriety, however, Whistler did not receive widespread acceptance and recognition for his art until the later years of his life. He married, somewhat on a whim, and his new wife aided him in obtaining prestigious portrait commissions. His letters and other writings also became quite popular, and were published in book form in 1890. Whistler died in 1902，leaving a legacy or brilliant，lyrical etchings，pastels，and paintings。

INTR OD UCTION:

A BUTTERFLY WITH A SCORPION’S STING

CHAPTER ONE

THE RISE OF A REALIST ARTIST:

WHISTLER’S ART AND CAREER TO 1865

CHAPTER TWO

ART FOR ART’S SAKE: 1866-1878

CHAPTER THREE

CHALLENGES AND SUCCESSES: 1879-1903

INDEX