James Mcneill Whistler - a Pioneer of Modernism

James McNeill Whistler - “The Artist’s Studio (also known as “Whistler in his Studio”) - 1865 - Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery of Modern Art (click photo for larger image)The American painter, etcher, and lithographer James Abbot McNeill Whistler (1834-1903) created a new set of principles for the art world of his day. He was a champion of “art for art's sake” and introduced a style mood and atmosphere into his paintings that are truly masterworks of modernism. American artists are all too often overlooked in discussions of the development of Modern Art. Although admirers such as the great photographer and collector Alfred Steiglitz worked very hard to promote American artists--and keep them on the map of art history--too many Americans are underemphasized in art historical analyses. Whistler is certainly one of those underrated artists. He painted works of “impressionism” before that movement even existed--and created great works of “expressionism” long before the days of the 20th century. Whistler had an enormous influence on later artists--and on the direction of art as a whole. Find out more about him here. He’s important!