Transcriber's Notes
Every effort has been made to replicate this textas faithfully as possible. The last two illustrations, Whistler's Grave in Chiswick Cemetery adjoiningChiswick Churchyard and Monument in Whistler's Memory at the United States MilitaryAcademy at West Point are not included in the original "List of Illustrations".These have been included. The footnotes have been moved to the end of their relevant chapters.In the original book the Illustrations are indexed as "Facing Page nnn". These have been changed to referto the nearest page.
The cover has been created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
THE LIFE OF JAMES
McNEILL WHISTLER
PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST
Fr. (By Himself)
THE LIFE OF JAMES
McNEILL WHISTLER
BY
E. R. and J. PENNELL
NEW AND REVISED EDITION THE SIXTH
ILLUSTRATED
PHILADELPHIA
J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY
LONDON: WILLIAM HEINEMANN
Printed in Great Britain
PREFACE TO THE SIXTH EDITION
The Fifth Edition of our book was exhausted before war was declared,and not until peace was declared was it thought by the publishers advisableto issue this Sixth Edition, which has been revised and broughtup to date, and contains new material and new illustrations. All thewhile we have been collecting and verifying documents, and all thewhile we have received suggestions, facts, and inquiries. The bookhas been published in French, but for the war it would have been longsince translated into other languages. During these years of needless,senseless, useless horrors, the name and fame of Whistler have steadilygrown. His works have served as propaganda—what a comment!—eventhe portrait of his mother has been used as a poster by the British,and his own portrait has obtained the glory of appearing as a tributeto the power of advertising. All the while, endless stories, most of themgarbled from this book, when not invented, have gone from end to end ofthe world. Exhibitions of his paintings and prints and of documentsrelating to him have been held. Galleries and private collectors haveacquired what little of his work was left to acquire. Even the NationalGallery of Great Britain has accepted three of his pictures from the lateArthur Studd though Whistler had distinctly said that he did not wishto be represented in any English gallery. Dealers have found in his artinexhaustible attraction and asset for shows. Mr. Freer's collectionin the National Museum, Washington, is about to open. Our collectionis being installed in the Library of Congress, also in Washington—thoughit was damaged by unpardonable and