Pastels of James Abbott McNeill Whistler

[Whistler, James Abbott McNeill] Getscher, Robert H. James Abbott McNeill Whistler - Pastels. First Edition. London, John Murray, 1991. 25cm x 33.5cm. 199 pages with 64 full colour plates. Original Hardcover with original dustjacket in protective collector's mylar. Excellent condition with only minor signs of wear. Name of preowner on endpaper (in pencil). Includes for example: Mr Whistler and his critics/ Whistler Pastels/ Thumbnail sketches by Thomas Way, Jr. / James Abbott McNeill Whistler (July 11, 1834 - July 17, 1903) was an American-born, British-based artist. Averse to sentimentality and moral allusion in painting, he was a leading proponent of the credo, art for art's sake. His famous signature for his paintings was in the shape of a stylized butterfly possessing a long stinger for a tail. The symbol was apt, for it combined both aspects of his personality-his art was characterized by a subtle delicacy, while his public persona was combative. Finding a parallel between painting and music, Whistler entitled many of his paintings arrangements, harmonies, and nocturnes, emphasizing the primacy of tonal harmony. His most famous painting is Whistler's Mother (1871), the revered and oft parodied portrait of motherhood. Whistler influenced the art world and the broader culture of his time with his artistic theories and his friendships with leading artists and writers. (Wikipedia)