Life of James McNeill Whistler, . o flights of stairs led up to the drawing-room where, in glasscases running round the room, he placed his blue-and-white. Thedining-room was on this floor, but another flight of stairs had to beclimbed to get to the bedrooms in the garrets. Almost all the windowsopening upon the river were placed so high, and filled with such smallpanes, that little could be seen from them of the beauty of the Thamesand its banks so dear to Whistler. The street door was of beatencopper and the house was full of decorative touches, which, he said, make me wonder what I am doing
Life of James McNeill Whistler, . o flights of stairs led up to the drawing-room where, in glasscases running round the room, he placed his blue-and-white. Thedining-room was on this floor, but another flight of stairs had to beclimbed to get to the bedrooms in the garrets. Almost all the windowsopening upon the river were placed so high, and filled with such smallpanes, that little could be seen from them of the beauty of the Thamesand its banks so dear to Whistler. The street door was of beatencopper and the house was full of decorative touches, which, he said, make me wonder what I am doing here anyhow—the whole, youknow, a successful example of the disastrous effect of art upon theBritish middle classes. Into this house he moved in April. He reserved his energy for his work and went out scarcely at all. Hedid not dare risk the dinner given in May by London artists to Rodin,who, however, breakfasted with him a day or two after. We mentiona detail that shows how sensitive Whistler was on certain [1903. {Seepage 363) A FRESHENING BREEZE OIL In the possession of J. S. Ure, Esq. In Search of Health M. Lanteri and Mr. Tweed came with Rodin, and this is Whistlersaccount to us later on the same dav : It was all very charming. Rodin distinguished in everv way—the breakfast very elegant—but—well, you know, you will they came, naturally, I put my work out of sight, canvases upagainst the wall with their backs turned. And you know, never once,not even after breakfast, did Rodin ask to see anything, not that Iwanted to show anything to Rodin, I neednt tell you—but in a manso distinguished it seemed a want of—well, of what West Point wouldhave demanded under the circumstances. No doubt Rodin thought, from the careful manner in which workwas put out of sight, that he was not expected to refer to it. Hisopinion of Whistler we know, for he has written it to us : Whistler etait un peintre dont le dessin avait beaucoup de profondeurs,et c
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpubl, booksubjectamericanart
