"Venetian Bridge," circle
of James McNeill Whistler, 1879-80. Chalk and pastel on brown
paper from the collection of the Corcoran Gallery.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Commemorating the centennial of James Abbott
McNeill Whistler's death, "Whistler and His Circle in Venice,"
from February 8 to May 5 at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, explores
the artist's struggle to find the "Venice of Venetians," and
traces Whistler's considerable influence on his contemporaries
and followers.
Starting in September 1879, Whistler spent 15 months living and
working in Venice, Italy, seeking to depict more than the
traditional popular tourist views of the city. Whistler's
pastels, etchings, drawings and oil paintings, as well as those
of his followers, reveal the artists' desire to delve deeper into
Venetian culture.
"Whistler's Venetian work is remarkable not only for its
extraordinary aesthetic appeal but also for its impact on
generations of later artists who represented Venice," noted Eric
Denker, curator of prints and drawings at the Corcoran Gallery of
Art. "For instance, Whistler was the first artist to paint
monumental non-tourist sites in Venice; John Singer Sargent also
adopted that practice. Whistler also chose not to reverse his
prints because he wished them to be viewed as works of art, not
tourist souvenirs. Likewise, Joseph Pennell, John Marin, Ernest
Roth and others did not reverse their images."
"Whistler and His Circle in Venice" features more than 120 works,
including a substantial selection of etchings, pastels,
watercolors and a small collection of oil paintings. The second
part of the exhibition highlights the work of Whistler's circle:
John Singer Sargent, Otto Bacher, Mortimer Menpes, Robert Blum,
Frank Duveneck, Joseph Pennell, John Marin and Alfred Stieglitz.
While in Venice, Whistler worked in a variety of media, including
etching, oil and pastel. Whistler's etchings, while mirror
images, are simple and direct, thereby eliminating all extraneous
details. For example, Whistler's print, "The Piazzetta," relies
on broad outlines to define the Venetian scene, without including
unnecessary details, such as the upper part of the column of St
Mark.
When working in pastel, Whistler typically sketched the rough
outlines of the scene in charcoal on light brown paper. Whistler
then returned to his studio to make a more detailed image and to
add mosaiclike pastel.
"Whistler worked incredibly quickly, creating wonderful jewels of
color in a remarkably short amount of time," commented Denker.
"Whistler's use of bright colors echoes the Venetian tradition of
color-encrusted mosaic surfaces."
James Abbott McNeill Whistler (1834-1903) was born in Lowell,
Mass., but lived in Russia during his youth and in Europe for all
of his adult life. Whistler often courted controversy, most
notably with his early patron Frederick Leyland, as well as with
John Ruskin and Oscar Wilde. The work Whistler produced while in
Venice rehabilitated his reputation and career, and reestablished
Whistler as a leading artist. The 15 months he spent in Venice
marked the first time Whistler developed a circle of followers.
The Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution, will present a
concurrent installation of Whistler's pastels from the museum's
permanent collection.
Following the presentation at the Corcoran, "Whistler and His
Circle in Venice" begins a national tour.
The Corcoran Gallery of Art is at New York Avenue and 17th
Street, NW. For information, 202-639-1700 or
www.Corcoran.org.
