Whistler's Mother: Portrait of an Extraordinary Life

Anna Whistler was a resilient, vibrant, bright, and deeply engaged woman who was born in the slaveholding South, raised in Brooklyn, New York, and resided in Russia and Great Britain. She made shrewd observations about the social, cultural, artistic, and political issues of her era and raised one of the finest artists of the nineteenth century. Her son immortalized her as a global celebrity and international icon of motherhood.

Format: Hardback
Length: 254 pages
Publication date: 02 March 2018
Publisher: Yale University Press

Discover the extraordinary woman behind one of the most famous images of motherhood in Western art.

Judged by the portrait Arrangement in Gray and Black No. 1 (1871), painted by her son James McNeill Whistler, Anna Whistler (1804–1881) appears to have been a pious, unassuming, domestic woman. This characterization, however, is far from the whole truth. Anna was born in the slaveholding South, raised principally in Brooklyn, New York, and resided for many years in both Russia and Great Britain, and her life was filled with adventure and excitement.

The authors unprecedented use of her private diaries and correspondence results in a crisp biographical rendering that reveals a resilient, vibrant, bright, and deeply engaged woman. In her writings, Anna made shrewd observations about the social, cultural, artistic, and political issues of her era, which was one of enormous and near-constant change. She knew and interacted with an astonishing array of people, from Russian peasants and American farmers to Robert E. Lee and Giuseppe Mazzini. She also raised one of the finest artists of the nineteenth century. As her son made his way in the art world, Anna became his unofficial agent, promoting his work, managing his finances, and advising him on the best opportunities for success. That he, in turn, should immortalize her as a global celebrity and international icon of motherhood was only appropriate.

Anna Whistler was a remarkable woman who defied expectations and lived a life filled with adventure, creativity, and profound connections. Her resilience, intelligence, and unwavering spirit shone through in her writings and interactions, and her impact on the art world and society as a whole cannot be overstated. Through her son's iconic portrait, Anna Whistler continues to be celebrated as a symbol of motherhood, beauty, and the power of women to achieve great things.

Weight: 722g
Dimension: 239 x 166 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780300229684