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James Whistler Quotes

Artist

James Whistler was an American artist, painter, etcher, and designer of English birth. Known for his unique style and bold use of color, he is considered a pioneer of the Post-Impressionist and Symbolist movements. Whistler is renowned for his famous works, including 'The Mother' and the 'Nocturne' series.

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All Art Artist Ifs Painter Should May Men Paint Painting Art Is Artistic Harmony Looks Masters Born Color Critics Cry Desire Drawing

Famous James Whistler Quotes

“Art is a goddess of dainty thought, reticent of habit, abjuring all obtrusiveness, purposing in no way to better others. She is, withal selfishly occupied with her own perfection only - having no desire to teach.”

Way Art Desire Teach Habit Art Is Perfection Goddess Dainty

Book:The Gentle Art of Making Enemies

Source: The Gentle Art of Making Enemies

“Art should be independent of all clap-trap - should stand alone, and appeal to the artistic sense of eye or ear, without confounding this with emotions entirely foreign to it, as devotion, pity, love, patriotism and the like. All these have no kind of concern with it; and that is why I insist on calling my works 'arrangements' and 'harmonies.”

Source: Delphi Complete Works of James McNeill Whistler (Illustrated)

“For art and joy go together, with bold openness, and high head, and ready hand - fearing naught and dreading no exposure.”

Art Hands Together Joy Ready Openness Exposure

Book:The Gentle Art of Making Enemies

Source: The Gentle Art of Making Enemies

“Art is limited to the infinite, and beginning there cannot progress.”

Art Progress Art Is Infinite

Book:The Gentle Art of Making Enemies

Source: The Gentle Art of Making Enemies

“Industry in art is a necessity - not a virtue - and any evidence of the same, in the production, is a blemish, not a quality; a proof, not of achievement, but of absolutely insufficient work, for work alone will efface the footsteps of work.”

Art Quality Virtue Industry Achievement Art Is Evidence Productions Proof Footsteps Insufficient

Book:The Gentle Art of Making Enemies

Source: The Gentle Art of Making Enemies

“An artist is not paid for his labor but for his vision.”

“It takes a long time for a man to look like his portrait.”

Men Looks Long Art Long Time Portraits

Author:James Whistler

“Art happens-no hovel is safe from it, no prince may depend upon it, the vastest intelligence cannot bring it about.”

May Art Happens Depends Safe Intelligence

Book:The Gentle Art of Making Enemies

Source: The Gentle Art of Making Enemies

“An artist's career always begins tomorrow”

Writing Art Artist Careers Tomorrow

Author:James Whistler

“Listen! There was never an artistic period. There was never an art-loving nation.”

Art Nations Periods Appreciation Artistic

Book:The Gentle Art of Making Enemies

Source: The Gentle Art of Making Enemies

“As music is the poetry of sound, so is painting the poetry of sight and the subject-matter has nothing to do with harmony of sound or of color.”

Art Matter Sound Subjects Color Painting Music Is Sight Harmony Subject Matter Painting And Poetry

Book:The Gentle Art of Making Enemies

Source: The Gentle Art of Making Enemies

About the Author

Born: July 10, 1834
Died: July 17, 1903
Known for: Artist
Quotes: 45

Books & Sources

The Gentle Art of Making EnemiesRelated source material

Delphi Complete Works of James McNeill Whistler (Illustrated)Related source material

Palaces in the Night: Whistler in VeniceRelated source material

Whistler: The Graphic Work: Amsterdam, Liverpool, London, Venice: An Exhibition Organised by Thos. Agnew & Sons, London, the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, and the Hunterian Art Gallery, University of Glasgow, in Association with the Arts Council of Great Britain, 1976Related source material

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