James Whistler
James Whistler
James Abbott McNeill Whistlerwas an American artist, active during the American Gilded Age and based primarily in the United Kingdom. He was averse to sentimentality and moral allusion in painting, and was a leading proponent of the credo "art for art's sake". His famous signature for his paintings was in the shape of a stylized butterfly possessing a long stinger for a tail. The symbol was apt, for it combined both aspects of his personality—his art was characterized by a...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPainter
Date of Birth11 July 1834
CountryUnited States of America
James Whistler quotes about
Work alone will efface the footsteps of work.
To say of a picture, as is often said in its praise, that it shows great and earnest labour, is to say that it is incomplete and unfit for view.
I maintain that two and two would continue to make four, in spite of the whine of the amateur for three, or the cry of the critic for five.
The world is divided into two classes - invalids and nurses.
As music is the poetry of sound, so is painting the poetry of sight and the subject-matter has nothing to do with harmony of sound or of color.
For art and joy go together, with bold openness, and high head, and ready hand - fearing naught and dreading no exposure.
To say to the painter that Nature is to be taken as she is, is to say to the player that he may sit on the piano.
I can't tell you if genius is hereditary, because heaven has granted me no offspring.
The rare few, who, early in life have rid themselves of the friendship of the many.
If the man who paints only the tree, or flower, or other surface he sees before him were an artist, the king of artists would be the photographer. It is for the artist to do something beyond this.
It takes a long time for a man to look like his portrait.
You shouldn't say it is not good. You should say, you do not like it; and then, you know, you're perfectly safe.
Nature contains the elements, in colour and form, of all pictures, as the keyboard contains the notes of all music. But the artists is born to pick, and choose, and group with science, these elements, that the result may be beautiful - as the musician gathers his notes, and forms his chords, until he brings forth from chaos glorious harmony
I always ask at once, 'Do you drink?' and if she says 'No,' I bow politely and say I am sorry but I fear she will not suit. All good cooks drink.