Whistler - 1834 - 1903

The Ocean - 1866

I walked around to the library yesterday to see if I could borrow some books on Turner and Gustav Klimt. This was not to be as there were none available. However, I did find one on James Abbott McNeill Whistler. I was enthralled by his work. I sat and read some of this book before borrowing it (there is a first time for everything!). I came across some sketches that I liked enormously too. I am discovering that I am not too fussy on paintings of people. I call them in my mind 'Stately Home Pictures'. I like the land and seascapes, the more gentle pastel colours.

Speke hall

It seems that he is most famous for his large oil paintings and moody night landscapes, but the ones that I kept going back to were the seascapes and the lovely sketches.

I read that he was born in America but his childhood took him around the world with his fathers work as a civil engineer. He had learned to draw at an early age and the painting progresses from there.

I think there is going to be a lot more to say about Whistler, but for now this is all I know.