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An American in London: Whistler and the Thames – Smithsonian’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Whistler - Nocturne: Battersea Bridge

James McNeill Whistler: “Nocturne: Battersea Bridge“, 1872—1873
Pastel on brown paper
H x W: 18.4 x 28.1 cm (7 1/4 x 11 1/16 in)
Freer Gallery of Art,
Gift of Charles Lang Freer,F1904.64a-c

Whistler - Nocturne: Blue and Gold

James McNeill Whistler: “Nocturne: Blue and Gold — Old Battersea Bridge“, ca. 1872—1875
Oil on canvas
H x W: 68.3 x 51.2 cm (26 7/8 x 20 3/16 in)
Freer Gallery of Art,
©Tate, London 2013, Presented by The Art Fund, 1905

An American in London: Whistler and the Thames ‘An American in London: Whistler and the Thames’ is the first major exhibition ever devoted to Whistler’s early period in London, and the largest U.S. display of his work in almost 20 years. Smithsonian’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, May 3–August 17, 2014.]]>

Source: Smithsonian’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

The exhibition showcases changing views of the capital city’s iconic riverbanks and waterways, revealing how Whistler emerged as one of the most innovative and original artists of the 19th century while London evolved into a modern city.

“An American in London” focuses on the period during the 1860s and ‘70s when Whistler (1834–1903) adapted the realist style he developed in Paris into a more personal aesthetic: “art for art’s sake.” He transformed scenes of gritty contemporary life, especially along the Thames riverbank, into moody and poetic views of the city, layered with color and atmosphere. It was during this time that he started to give his works musical titles such as “arrangement,” “symphony” and “nocturne” and drew inspiration from the composition and flattened forms of Japanese prints, some of which are included in the exhibition.

Whistler developed radically new modes of expression as a response to the changing world outside his window in London’s Chelsea neighborhood,” said Lee Glazer, curator of American art at the Freer and Sackler galleries. “Through the visual poetry of his ‘arrangements’ and ‘nocturnes’ he reasserted the value of beauty, providing aesthetic compensation for the loss and alienation many Victorians associated with modern life.”

During this time, London was in a near-constant cycle of destruction and rebuilding. Historic landmarks—such as Battersea Bridge, a Whistler favorite—were altered or torn down to make way for mansions, factories and other modern structures. The river, however, maintained its central importance both as Whistler’s subject and as part of the lifeblood of the city itself.

“An American in London” also features portraits of Whistler and his associates, bringing to life the personalities surrounding the artist during this crucial time in his career, as well as historic photographs and maps that detail the London neighborhoods where he lived and worked.

Related content

Portraits, Pastels and Prints: Whistler in the Frick Collection (exhibition, 2009)

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An American in London: Whistler and the Thames - Smithsonian’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery