James McNeill Whistler - Lapis Lazuli, 1885-1886

James McNeill Whistler (Lowell, Massachusetts, 1834 - 1903, London, England)

Lapis Lazuli, 1885-1886

Chalk and pastel on brown paper, 13 x 26 cm (5 1/8 x 10 1/4 in.)

Commentary

This small pastel depicts a reclining nude wearing a colorful kimono and holding a fan. James McNeil Whistler was a founding member of the Aesthetic movement, exalting “art for art’s sake.”  The movement was strongly influenced by Asian, particularly Japanese, artwork. While Whistler and others incorporated Japanese compositional principles into their work, they also used Japanese clothing and objects as props and costumes, divorced from their cultural and artistic context. Whistler’s distinctive butterfly-shaped signature is visible on the back of the sofa.