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Daniel E. Sutherland
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Whistler: A Life for Art's Sake Paperback – March 27, 2018

by Daniel E. Sutherland (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 38 ratings
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A major new biography of James McNeill Whistler, one of most complex, intriguing, and important of America’s artists

This engaging personal history dispels the popular notion of James McNeill Whistler (1834–1903) as merely a combative, eccentric, and unrelenting publicity seeker. The Whistler revealed in these beautifully illustrated pages is an intense, introspective, and complex man, plagued by self-doubt and haunted by an endless pursuit of perfection in his painting and drawing.
 
“[Sutherland] seeks to get behind the public Whistler . . . never judging or condescending to his subject. . . . The portrait of Whistler that emerges is complex and mysterious . . . a measured and scholarly account of an extraordinary life.”—Ruth Scurr, Wall Street Journal
 
“The first comprehensive biography of Whistler in at least a generation. . . . Sutherland skillfully captures Whistler’s ambition, tenacity, and insecurity and presents his life in a narrative that does justice to both his triumphs and his failures.”—Eleanor Jones Harvey, American Scholar
Previous page
  1. Print length
    510 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Yale University Press
  4. Publication date
    March 27, 2018
  5. Dimensions
    6.1 x 1.2 x 9.1 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0300232632
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0300232639
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Daniel E. Sutherland is distinguished professor of history, University of Arkansas.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Yale University Press; Reprint edition (March 27, 2018)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 510 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0300232632
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0300232639
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.2 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.1 x 1.2 x 9.1 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 38 ratings

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Daniel E. Sutherland

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
38 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Jeffrey P. Garland
5.0 out of 5 stars A Whistler Must-Have!
Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2014
Verified Purchase
Bought this for an Art research paper in which I was required to have five sources. I was hard pressed to use any other source but this biography for anything other than pictorial references. A highly in-depth analysis of his life, techniques, mannerisms, styles and associations. If you've ever heard of a Whistler, the complete objective iconographic analysis of it is probably in this book. Extensively referenced with most previous biographies and the correspondences from family records, West Point, and the Library of Congress, along with most contemporary collections and archives. If you can't find enough Whistler in its pages, the bibliography will tell you where to find it. Best book buy of my academic career!
2 people found this helpful
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James J. Johnston
5.0 out of 5 stars Correspondence Opens New Look at Whistler
Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2014
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Sutherland's "Whistler" biography is an exceptionally well written book. It tells the story of an American expatriate in Europe in the 19th century, one of several, with a deep understanding of the 19th century world. Sutherland is a consummate scholar of 19th century America, and he now proves he knows 19th century Americans very well, even expatriates.
I heartily recommend "Whistler: A Life for Art's Sake" to anyone with a desire for knowing the 19th century. Sutherland's access to the Whistler correspondence opens a new window on James Whistler's life.
One person found this helpful
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Paula Carr
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting subject. Less than fascinating prose.
Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2014
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Exhaustively researched and filled with detail. Lots of photographs (always a plus with me). Mr. Sutherland's prose style is a bit dry and inexpressive, however, and I found myself re-reading lots of sentences just to make sense of them. The book jacket is an awesome design, though, and very much is an expression of Whistler's style.
2 people found this helpful
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James Pullman
5.0 out of 5 stars An overall positive look at a complex, self-promoting artist ...
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2014
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An overall positive look at a complex, self-promoting artist. I learned a lot about Whistler's place in history and, as an artist myself, was surprised by the amount of attention Sutherland paid to the actual work Whistler produced--surprised in that a friend had told me Sutherland had glossed over some of Whistler's unusual behavior and his artistic methods and ends.
2 people found this helpful
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Margo Jeanne Chesebro
5.0 out of 5 stars Product In Superb Condition
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2019
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The product was in superb condition. It will be used for information for a presentation to LifeLong Learners' program at Western Iowa Tech.
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Mike Daley
2.0 out of 5 stars slow read
Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2020
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I had a very hard time getting into this book and I love to read about the lives or artists. I could not finish it. I will try to read it again when a slow read will be a good thing for me.
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Barbara Fracchia
5.0 out of 5 stars The title tells it all.
Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2015
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I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Being an artist also it brought great insight into artistic quest for the ultimate masterpiece. I have recommended this book to many of my artist friends.
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dante
4.0 out of 5 stars "Whistle an Unhappy Tune"
Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2015
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A very through autobiography, but not enjoyable or interesting.
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Top reviews from other countries

Bookish
5.0 out of 5 stars Detailed and interesting
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 10, 2023
Verified Purchase
Well worth a read
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Well written and informative
Reviewed in Canada on April 29, 2019
Verified Purchase
I had rented it from the library but never managed to get through it. I enjoyed it and liked the writing style so I decided to buy a copy to read at my leisure.
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Bruce D. Fisher
5.0 out of 5 stars Thorough treatment of great artist
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 30, 2014
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I selected this rating because I love art and found that the author's treatment was objective and very thorough. The author was able to bring the subject to life without idolatry. Well done.
Bruce D. Fisher
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An honest opinion
2.0 out of 5 stars Sadly, not worth the wait ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 9, 2014
Verified Purchase
As the author Daniel E Sutherland and his publishers, Yale University Press, are keen to point out this is the first ever biography of Whistler to make "extensive" use of his private corrospondence. Really? I have in my library at least 5 books on the artist that make 'extensive' use of his private corrospondence in Glasgow University and elsewhere throughout Europe and the rest of the world.
But what is important here is not that particular claim. What is particularly unsettling is the tone set by Mr Sutherland the author at the beginning. As he warns or rather scolds his potential readers in the preface, "First, though, you need to know some things about Whistler."
Really? I really wonder then why I just bought this book.
And it gets worse. "From childhood, he [Whistler] cared passionately about art." Well that explains a lot. An artist who cared about art! Thank goodness for that.
Having followed Whistler for most of my 75 years, I have visited Glasgow's spectacular collection on many occasions, I have spent many glorious hours at the Freer Collection in Washington DC, I have had pleasure to view the great retrospectives in 1990s and the centenary shows in 2003 but with Mr Sutherland effort I utterly fail to find anything new or enlightening.
To me it seems he has simply used the magnificent achievement of the University of Glasgow's Centre for Whistler Studies online archive of Whistler Correspondence to fatten out a monologue [and monologue it is] that adds absolutely nothing to the enigma and our understanding of James McNeill Whistler.
Twenty years ago I bought the biography of Whistler by Ronald Anderson and Anne Koval. Last week out of interest, having just bought Mr Sutherland's effort, I went on Amazon.co.uk to see if their book, Beyond the Myth, was still available. To my sheer delight it was and what was fascinating was it still being reviewed some twenty years later - the latest being February 2014. As one reviewer commented on Anderson and Koval's Beyond the Myth, on Amazon, it is "A superb work of art history and biography."
Mr Sutherland I see had not even the grace to acknowledge its existence.
16 people found this helpful
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