James McNeill Whistler
James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903) was a master etcher and a painter who was driven by aesthetic theory. A masterful realist, he nonetheless frequently subverted the artistic conventions of the time in order to prevent a "narrative" interpretation of his work and force the viewer to deal with pure color and aesthetic value. Despite their representational basis, some of his paintings can even be seen as precursors to the much later abstract work of artists such as Mark Rothko.
Whistler is best known for Arrangement in Grey and Black: Portrait of the Painter's Mother (better known as Whistler's Mother).
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