James McNeill Whistler, Arrangement in Grey and Black, 1871, oil on canvas, 56.8” x 63.9”, Musée d'Orsay, Paris, Artwork in the Public Domain, Photo from Wikipedia.
This old gal still holds a fascination for viewers 145 years after James McNeill Whistler painted her. The American expatriate artist gave the painting the title, Arrangement in Grey and Black because his primary interest was to create a balanced composition of harmonious neutral shades. The large black form of the woman’s dress at the right is balanced on the left side with a broad, gray curtain and a small, white picture on the wall near the top, just left of the center. The background is a study of the subtle modeling of light and shadow in soft, gray tones.
Whistler did not intend to create a portrait of his mother… although it is a rather good painting of his mother. Having been influenced by French Realist writers, Whistler rendered his mother in an unforgivingly naturalistic manner. There she is, warts and all, looking a bit bored. And so it is this push and pull between the formal and natural properties of the painting that engage us to this day.
Happy Mother’s Day from The Art Minute
