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Purple and Rose: The Lange Leizen of the Six Marks. James Abbott McNeill Whistler 1864. The Artist:1834-1903. Born in Massachusetts in 1834 Father was an engineer Travelled to Russia and England as a boy Returned to US after Father’s death Enrolled at West Point
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Purple and Rose: The Lange Leizen of the Six Marks James Abbott McNeill Whistler 1864
The Artist:1834-1903 • Born in Massachusetts in 1834 • Father was an engineer • Travelled to Russia and England as a boy • Returned to US after Father’s death • Enrolled at West Point • Little success as student of military arts • Not academic success • 1855: After working briefly as a cartographer emigrated to Europe
The Artist: Continued • Interested in art at early age • Art classes in St. Petersburg from 1845-48 • Continued while travelling in London in 1847-48 • Moved to Paris, adopted bohemian lifestyle • Studied at studio of Charles Gleyre, mentor to French Impressionists • Befriended Gustave Courbet • Self directed study – copied works of those he admired • Rembrandt van Rijn • Learnt to create emotional and evocative works with limited range of tones
The Artist: Continued • Contradiction to Academies in France and England • Did not think art had to be moralizing or enlightening • Academic painters valued history painting • Promoted “art for art’s sake” • Pieces evocative, capture moods and emotions through subtle use of color • Titled pieces to recall music and its emotive effects • Ex. Symphony in White, No.1: The White Girl(1862), Arrangement in Grey and Black: The Artists Mother(1871), Nocturne in Black and Gold: The Falling Rocket(1874)
Nocturne in Black and Gold: The Falling Rocket • Made Whistler Famous • Critic John Ruskin(Turner Supporter) criticized in harsh terms • “Flinging a pot of paint in the public’s face” • Whistler sued and won libel case • Little compensation • Trial included discussion of the goal of art and the role of the artist
Eastern Influence in France • 1870s – Impressionists in France fascinated by Japanese Art • Especially inexpensive woodblock prints • Claude Monet and Vincent Van Gogh collected hundreds, influence on work clearly visible • Whistler began incorporating these influences years before • Like contemporaries in England, Great admirer of Chinese art, especially porcelain • Royal academy viewers of Purple and Rose: The Lange Leizen of the Six Marks would recognize blue and white porcelain objects
Purple and Rose: The Lange Leizen of the Six Marks • Small painting focusing on female figure surrounded by beautiful Chinese objects, likely part of Whistler’s collection • Model – Joanna Hiffernan • Whistler’s Mistress in the 1860s • Modeled for number of his works • Ex. Symphony in White, No.1: The White Girl and Symphony in White, No.2 The Little White Girl(1864-65) • Also had relationship with Courbet, posed in his studio
Purple and Rose: The Lange Leizen of the Six Marks • Shown seated in a relaxed, casual pose • Body marks diagonal line from the lower left to upper right corner • Nearly fills frame • Dressed in Chinese brocade robe • Decorated with floral motif in peach and rose • Under layer and trim on robe in dark purple(Inspired Philadelphia Museum of Art title Purple and Rose • Supports blue and white object in left hand, brush in right hand like she is imagining herself painting vessel • Make up accentuates features, hair pulled back tightly, to imitate Chinese courtly fashion
Purple and Rose: The Lange Leizen of the Six Marks • Surrounding Hiffernan, number of Chinese objects laid out as if on display • Several blue and white • Teacup and large ginger jar • Painted fan decorated with a crane and a tray • Group of brushes on table behind her • A few other objects to detract form Hiffernan and surrounding imports • Colors in background are beige and brown, more vivid tones of robe and porcelain are accentuated
The Porcelain • Objects highlighted are Whistler’s own. • He is an avid collector • Featured porcelain is blue and white • First produced in about the 14th century • 17th Century created for export to Europe • Europeans later copy styles • Lange Leizen is a pattern with willowy ladies; “Long Eliza” • “Six Marks refers to the markings that verify authenticity
World at the time • Obsession with Chinese porcelain connected to a rise in the consumption of Chinese tea in the early 19th century • By the time this work is painted 90% of the tea in England was from China