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142 Years Overdue: ‘Whistler’s Mother’ Visits Philadelphia

America loves the portrait that artist James Whistler painted of his mother, yet, at the time, it was controversial.
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142 Years Overdue: ‘Whistler’s Mother’ Visits Philadelphia
“Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1,” 1871, by James Abbott McNeill Whistler. Oil on canvas; 56 3/4 inches by 64 1/8 inches. Orsay Museum, Paris. Art Resource NY/RMN-Grand Palais
Lorraine Ferrier
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Most of us will recognize the portrait of James Abbott McNeill Whistler’s mother, Anna, that he painted. It’s one of the most celebrated American paintings, and the first work by an American artist that the French government bought. Yet it’s a portrait that nearly never came to be.
As one of the nation's most loved paintings, "Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1" has been reproduced many times, from a poster urging men to enlist with the Irish Canadian Rangers to the 1934 postage stamp "In memory and in honor of the mothers of America." (Public Domain)
As one of the nation's most loved paintings, "Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1" has been reproduced many times, from a poster urging men to enlist with the Irish Canadian Rangers to the 1934 postage stamp "In memory and in honor of the mothers of America." Public Domain
Lorraine Ferrier
Lorraine Ferrier
Author
Lorraine Ferrier writes about fine arts and craftsmanship for The Epoch Times. She focuses on artists and artisans, primarily in North America and Europe, who imbue their works with beauty and traditional values. She's especially interested in giving a voice to the rare and lesser-known arts and crafts, in the hope that we can preserve our traditional art heritage. She lives and writes in a London suburb, in England.
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