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Quote by James Whistler

“As light fades and the shadows deepen, all petty and exacting details vanish, everything trivial disappears, and I see things as they are in great strong masses: the buttons are lost, but the sitter remains; the sitter is lost, but the shadow remains; the shadow is lost, but the picture remains. And that, night cannot efface from the painter's imagination.”

Author

James Whistler

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. more

“The masterpiece should appear as the flower to the painter - perfect in its bud as in its bloom - with no reason to explain its presence - no mission to fulfill - a joy to the artist, a delusion to the philanthropist - a puzzle to the botanist - an accident of sentiment and alliteration to the literary man.”

Men Should Reason Joy Artist Perfect Flower Masters Missions Accidents Painter Delusion No Reason Sentiments Puzzles Masterpiece Bud Philanthropist Alliteration

Book:The Gentle Art of Making Enemies

Source: The Gentle Art of Making Enemies

“Nature is very rarely right, to such an extent even, that it might almost be said that nature is usually wrong.”

Said Might

Book:The Gentle Art of Making Enemies

Source: The Gentle Art of Making Enemies

“I remember that at one time I always made a drawing before going to bed!! - Of myself I mean - though I finally destroyed most of them.”

Mean Made Remember Bed Drawing Destroyed One Time Portraiture

Book: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, 1976

Source: 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, 1976

“It is for the artist... 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.”

Men Wells Faces Artist He Man Painting One Day Models Paint Features Canvas Portraits Portraiture

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

“A student of James McNeill Whistler tells the great artist, 'I tend to paint what I see.' Whistler replies, 'Ah! The shock will come when you see what you paint!”

Artist Students Paint Shock Great Art Great Artist Whistler

Author:James Whistler

“The work of a master reeks not of the sweat of the brow - suggests no effort - and is finished from its beginning.”