Rex Whister: The Artist and His Patrons

Rex Whistler (1905–1944) was a British virtuoso who was linked to many of the most illustrious figures of the inter-war period. This book explores an exceptional case of artistic patronage in the twentieth century, weaving together social and art history. The exchange with his patrons gave Whistler an opportunity to explore a rich variety of subjects, materials, and techniques, and the artworks discussed range from a recently re-discovered painting for Sir Malcolm Bullock to the magnificent murals at Port Lympne and Trent Park designed for Sir Philip Sassoon. The book deepens our understanding of how the elite were protected by their wealth and position from the strict societal mores of the 1920s and 30s and illuminates Whistlers creative methods and techniques. It also paints a nuanced portrait of his oeuvre and the artist himself, as he tried to combine his challenging career with a complicated romantic life.

Format: Hardback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 25 May 2024
Publisher: Paul Holberton Publishing Ltd

Rex Whistler (1905–1944) was a British virtuoso who was linked to many of the most illustrious figures of the inter-war period. This book explores an exceptional case of artistic patronage in the twentieth century, weaving together social and art history. The book accompanies a major exhibition at the Salisbury Museum, which holds the Rex Whistler Archive. Whistler's cast of patrons reads like the Who's Who of his time, including art collector and poet Edward James, diarist and socialite Sir Henry 'Chips Channon, Lord and Lady Louis Mountbatten, Cecil Beaton, Duff and Diana Cooper, author and poet Lady Dorothy Wellesley, and many others for whom Whistler worked on a diverse range of commissions. The exchange with his patrons gave Whistler an opportunity to explore a rich variety of subjects, materials, and techniques. The artworks discussed in the volume range from a recently re-discovered painting for Sir Malcolm Bullock to the magnificent murals at Port Lympne and Trent Park designed for Sir Philip Sassoon, one of the greatest hosts of the age, to Plas Newydd, where Whistler created one of the largest private mural schemes in the inter-war period for the 6th Marquess and Marchioness of Anglesey. It culminates with Maud Russell's mansion at Mottisfont, where in 1938–39 the artist was painting one of his finest works in trompe l'oeil as war loomed over Europe, the war in which Whistler gave his life for his country. Whistler's commissioning circle was diverse and privileged, with many embracing the sea.

Weight: 930g
Dimension: 220 x 280 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781913645618