Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee: James McNeill Whistler

James McNeill Whistler was an American-born artist who spent the majority of his life in Europe—particularly England—mastering watercolor, oil painting, etching, and printmaking. Whistler pioneered the Aesthetic movement in the late 19th century, subscribing to the belief of "art for art's sake" and championing beauty above all else. Aesthetes (as patrons of this movement were called) believed that aesthetic ideals should be a part of everyday life. This led to a trend of creating personas that encompassed one's fashion, interior design, and lifestyle. True to this ideology, Whistler curated an aesthetics-driven persona through his art and fashion, coupled with a naturally charismatic if tempestuous personality.

Whistler's striking appearance, often adorned with a monocle, top hat, walking stick, and impeccably tailored attire, purposefully drew the public's attention. During this time, a man who demonstrated this attention to detail in his appearance, choosing extravagant fabrics and accessories to wear while strolling about town, was called a dandy. The dandy style was not just a superficial trait, but an extension of the aesthetic philosophy.

A walking stick was a key element of Whistler's dandy wardrobe. Walking sticks in this period were primarily for show and rarely practical; most were very thin and not built to truly support the weight of a human. Whistler generously gave Isabella Stewart Gardner one such walking stick made of bamboo around 1886, which she later displayed in the Long Gallery in a case full of archival material partially devoted to him.

Although celebrated as an artistic maverick, one could not escape Whistler's penchant for stirring up drama. He often responded harshly to criticism or differences in artistic opinion, resulting in several broken friendships and widely publicized court cases. In 1877–78, he brought a libel suit against art historian and critic John Ruskin. Although Whistler won the case, he was awarded only token damages; as a response, he wrote a book describing his version of events, Whistler v. Ruskin: Art & Art Critics. In 1890, Whistler was inspired to write another book, The Gentle Art of Making Enemies; the title speaks for itself. Whistler found himself in court again in the 1890s, defending his right to keep a portrait of a Baroness he was commissioned to paint. He had refused to hand it over because he thought the sitter demonstrated a condescending attitude towards him. He also wrote a book about that case: Eden versus Whistler: The Baronet & the Butterfly. Copies of all three books are in the Gardner Museum collection. 

The "Butterfly" in this book's title refers to Whistler's bespoke signature created out of his initials (JMW): a stylized butterfly with a stinger tail. The imagery perfectly defines Whistler: expressing his delicate painting style (the butterfly) and his brash personality (the stinger).

Whistler and Isabella first met in 1879, and he became one of the earliest contemporary artists that she collected. In 1886, she sat for Whistler to create the pastel portrait, The Little Note in Yellow and Gold, and purchased two other works at the same time: The Violet Note and The Note in Orange and Blue (Sweet Shop). These three works, along with a fourth purchased in 1895, Lapis Lazuli can be seen together in the Veronese Room.

Gardner and Whistler likely recognized a kindred spirit in one another. As shown in a recent exhibition at the Gardner, Inventing Isabella, Isabella liked to cause a little shock and awe in the public eye and cultivated a fascinating yet mystifying public persona. Whistler died in 1903, the same year Isabella first opened her museum. Although he never got to see her museum, Isabella's admiration for Whistler can be seen in multiple galleries through the artworks and correspondence she collected from him.

Whistler had a profound influence on the art world, paving the way for the modern and contemporary art movements of the 20th and 21st centuries. To help showcase this, the Gardner Museum recently loaned Whistler's walking stick to the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Rouen, France, as part of their Whistler, the Butterfly Effect exhibition.

Packed in a special custom crate and sent on an airplane to France, it arrived in May 2024 for its star turn in the show. Upon its return to the Gardner, it will be placed back on view in the Long Gallery in the fall of 2024.

¹ Pennell, Elizabeth Robins and Joseph, The Whistler Journal (Philadelphia, 1921), p. 7. (S.G.S.3.10)