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… - James McNeill Whistler

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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: in portrait painting to put on canvas something more than the face the model wears for that one day: to paint the man, in short, as well as his features; in arrangement of colours to treat a flower as his key, not as his model. This is now understood indifferently well – at least by dressmakers. In every costume you see attention is paid to the key-note of colour which runs through the composition, as the chant of the Anabaptists through the 'Prophète', or the Hugenots' hymn in the opera of that name.

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About James McNeill Whistler

James Abbott McNeill Whistler (10 July 1834 – 17 July 1903) was an American-born, British-based painter and etcher. Finding a parallel between painting and music, Whistler entitled many of his paintings 'arrangements', 'harmonies', and 'nocturnes'.

Also Known As

Birth Name: James Abbot McNeill Whistler
Native Name: James Whistler
Alternative Names: James McNeil Whistler James Abbott McNeil Whistler James Abbott MacNeil Whistler James Abbott Mcneill Whistler James Abbott Whistler James Mac Neill Whistler James Mc Neill Whistler James Mc. Neill Whistler James Abbott McNeill Whistler James Abbot M'Neill Whistler James M'Neill Whistler James Abbott M'Neill Whistler James A. McNeill Whistler
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I say I can't thank you too much for the name 'Nocturne' as a title for my moonlights! You have no idea what an irritation it proves to the critics and consequent pleasure to me — besides it is really so charming and does so poetically say all that I want to say and no more than I wish.

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