File:Life of James McNeill Whistler, (1911) (14596915849).jpg

Identifier: jamesmcnei00penn (find matches)
Title: Life of James McNeill Whistler,
Year: 1911 (1910s)
Authors: Pennell, Elizabeth Robins,
Subjects: American Art
Publisher: J. B. Lippincott company
Contributing Library: Whitney Museum of American Art, Frances Mulhall Achilles Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Metropolitan New York Library Council - METRO

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xcessivein imitation as in devotion. He denied the right of any, save theartist, to speak authoritatively cf art ; they started a club to train theclasses—Princes, Prime Ministers, Patrons, Ambassadors, Membersof Parliament—to blind faith in Master and Followers. Whistlermixed masses of colours on the palette, keeping them under water insaucers. The Followers mixed theirs in vegetable dishes and keptthem in milk-cans, labelled Floor, Face, Hair, Lips. He had a tablepalette ; they adopted it, but added hooks to hang their cans ofpaint on. He used his paint very liquid—the sauce of theNocturnes ; they used such quantities of medium that as much wenton the floor as on the canvas, and, before a picture was blocked in,they were wading in liquid masterpieces. Many of his brushes werelarge; they worked with whitewash brushes. They copied his personalpeculiarities. One evening at a dinner when he wore a white waist-coat and all the buttons, because of the laundress, came out, a223 (1883
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O £ £ Among Friends Follower, seeing it buttonless, hurried from the room, and returnedwith his bulging, sure that he was in the movement. Whistler accepted their devotion, and, finding them willing tosquander their time, monopolised it. There was plenty for everybodyto do in the studio. If they complained that he took advantage ofthem, he proved to them that the fault was theirs. Mr. Menpeswrites: We seldom asked Whistler questions about his work. ... Ifwe had, he would have been sure to say, Pshaw ! You must be occupiedwith the Master, not with yourselves. There is plenty to be done.If there was not, Whistler would always make a task for you—a pictureto be taken into Dowdeswells,, or a copper plate to have a ground puton. No one respected the work of others more than Whistler. Butif others did not respect it themselves and made him a present of theirtime he did not refuse. If he allowed the Followers to accompanyhim in his little journeys, it was because they were so eager. When

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