James McNeill Whistler is one of the most important artists of the 19th century. With his belief that art – like music – should above all evoke a mood, he helped shape modern art. Alongside his paintings, he is also renowned for his many etchings and drawings, made in cities such as Paris, Amsterdam and Venice.
Whistler’s rebellious nature and strong convictions regularly set him on a collision course with critics and patrons. With his distinctive and innovative art, he was at times considered too progressive – even by avant-garde artists. Whistler spent months, sometimes even years, working on a single artwork, while the final work appears almost effortless.
At the time, the influential English art historian Roger Fry wrote about Whistler:
‘… he seemed to be always inaugurating a revolution, leading intransigent youth against the strongholds of tradition and academic complacence.’
Whistler. Loving the Netherlands
This retrospective was realised in collaboration with Tate Britain in London. The exhibition Whistler. Loving the Netherlands runs concurrently at The Mesdag Collection in The Hague, focusing on Whistler’s time in the Netherlands and work he produced during his visits.
Tickets
Register for the newsletter and be among the first to hear when tickets go on sale: