James Abbott McNeill Whistler
Whistler was an American expatriate who influenced painters working on both sides of the Atlantic. His philosophy “l’art pour l’art” [art for art’s sake] encouraged artists to pursue beauty over narrative in their work. He explored the connections between art and music, and often gave his paintings musical titles, using descriptors such as "arrangement" and "harmony." He popularized a taste for Japanese arts and influenced other painters with the atmospheric, poetic effects of his paintings.
Is it worse to talk about someone behind their back or confront them in person?
In this brutal caricature of Whistler’s creditor, Frederick Richards Leyland is portrayed as a horrifying reptilian peacock. He sits atop a model of the White House, Whistler’s home and studio, where this picture was hung to greet the officials who would be arriving to officially inspect the property after he declared bankruptcy. The words on the sheet music include selective capitalization, calling out Leyland’s initials and identifying him as the model for the monster.
Gift of Mrs. Alma de Bretteville Spreckels through the Patrons of Art and Music
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