#tonalism — Public Fediverse posts

"Nocturne: Blue and Silver - Chelsea," James Abbott McNeill Whistler, 1871.

Whistler (1834-1903) was a highly influential and famous painter, although it would infuriate him to know he was most famous for that over-familiar painting of his mother....because it's regarded as a portrait of motherhood, while he intended it only to be a study of shapes and colors. Really.

That's something about Whistler's art that many modern folks struggle with. He was a big proponent of the Aesthetic movement, preaching "art for art's sake". Many scenes like this weren't intended to be landscapes or capturing a moment in time...they were explorations of color and form. They were meant to be beautiful, and not teach a lesson or have a message.

He was known as a Tonaist, an art movement that branched off from Impressionism, and was more about capturing form and color.

From the Tate Modern, London.

#Art #JamesAbbottMcNeillWhistler #Tonalism #Aestheticism #Nocturne

"Nocturne: Blue and Silver - Chelsea," James Abbott McNeill Whistler, 1871.

Whistler (1834-1903) was a highly influential and famous painter, although it would infuriate him to know he was most famous for that over-familiar painting of his mother....because it's regarded as a portrait of motherhood, while he intended it only to be a study of shapes and colors. Really.

That's something about Whistler's art that many modern folks struggle with. He was a big proponent of the Aesthetic movement, preaching "art for art's sake". Many scenes like this weren't intended to be landscapes or capturing a moment in time...they were explorations of color and form. They were meant to be beautiful, and not teach a lesson or have a message.

He was known as a Tonaist, an art movement that branched off from Impressionism, and was more about capturing form and color.

From the Tate Modern, London.

#Art #JamesAbbottMcNeillWhistler #Tonalism #Aestheticism #Nocturne

"Nocturne: Blue and Silver - Chelsea," James Abbott McNeill Whistler, 1871.

Whistler (1834-1903) was a highly influential and famous painter, although it would infuriate him to know he was most famous for that over-familiar painting of his mother....because it's regarded as a portrait of motherhood, while he intended it only to be a study of shapes and colors. Really.

That's something about Whistler's art that many modern folks struggle with. He was a big proponent of the Aesthetic movement, preaching "art for art's sake". Many scenes like this weren't intended to be landscapes or capturing a moment in time...they were explorations of color and form. They were meant to be beautiful, and not teach a lesson or have a message.

He was known as a Tonaist, an art movement that branched off from Impressionism, and was more about capturing form and color.

From the Tate Modern, London.

#Art #JamesAbbottMcNeillWhistler #Tonalism #Aestheticism #Nocturne

"Nocturne: Blue and Silver - Chelsea," James Abbott McNeill Whistler, 1871.

Whistler (1834-1903) was a highly influential and famous painter, although it would infuriate him to know he was most famous for that over-familiar painting of his mother....because it's regarded as a portrait of motherhood, while he intended it only to be a study of shapes and colors. Really.

That's something about Whistler's art that many modern folks struggle with. He was a big proponent of the Aesthetic movement, preaching "art for art's sake". Many scenes like this weren't intended to be landscapes or capturing a moment in time...they were explorations of color and form. They were meant to be beautiful, and not teach a lesson or have a message.

He was known as a Tonaist, an art movement that branched off from Impressionism, and was more about capturing form and color.

From the Tate Modern, London.

#Art #JamesAbbottMcNeillWhistler #Tonalism #Aestheticism #Nocturne

"Nocturne: Blue and Silver - Chelsea," James Abbott McNeill Whistler, 1871.

Whistler (1834-1903) was a highly influential and famous painter, although it would infuriate him to know he was most famous for that over-familiar painting of his mother....because it's regarded as a portrait of motherhood, while he intended it only to be a study of shapes and colors. Really.

That's something about Whistler's art that many modern folks struggle with. He was a big proponent of the Aesthetic movement, preaching "art for art's sake". Many scenes like this weren't intended to be landscapes or capturing a moment in time...they were explorations of color and form. They were meant to be beautiful, and not teach a lesson or have a message.

He was known as a Tonaist, an art movement that branched off from Impressionism, and was more about capturing form and color.

From the Tate Modern, London.

#Art #JamesAbbottMcNeillWhistler #Tonalism #Aestheticism #Nocturne