James Abbott McNeill Whistler
(1834-1903)

Died aged 69

James Abbott McNeill Whistler RBA (/ˈwɪslər/; July 10, 1834 – July 17, 1903) was an American painter active during the American Gilded Age and based primarily in the United Kingdom. He eschewed sentimentality and moral allusion in painting and was a leading proponent of the credo "art for art's sake". His signature for his paintings took the shape of a stylized butterfly possessing a long stinger for a tail. The symbol combined both aspects of his personality: his art is marked by a subtle delicacy, while his public persona was combative. He found a parallel between painting and music, and entitled many of his paintings "arrangements", "harmonies", and "nocturnes", emphasizing the primacy of tonal harmony. His most famous painting, Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1 (1871), commonly known as Whistler's Mother, is a revered and often parodied portrait of motherhood. Whistler influenced the art world and the broader culture of his time with his theories and his friendships with other leading artists and writers.

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Commemorated on 3 plaques

James Abbott McNeil Whistler painter and etcher (1834-1903) lived here

96 Cheyne Walk, Kensington and Chelsea, SW10, London, United Kingdom where they lived

Ici a vecu James McNeill Whistler Artiste-Peintre de 1892 a 1901

English translation: Here saw James McNeill Whistler Artist-Painter from 1892 to 1901 [AWS Translate]

110 rue du Bac, Paris, France where they lived (1892-1901)

The Cross Keys Heritage Dylan Thomas J. M. W. Turner Agatha Christie John Singer Sargent James McNeill Whistler Bob Marley 1708-2012 Celebrated figures drank here

1 Lawrence St, Chelsea, London, United Kingdom where they drank