A picture is finished when all trace of the means used to bring about the end has disappeared. James Whistler More Quotes by James Whistler More Quotes From James Whistler I can't tell you if genius is hereditary, because heaven has granted me no offspring. James Whistler intelligencegeniusheaven A student of James McNeill Whistler tells the great artist, 'I tend to paint what I see.' Whistler replies, 'Ah! The shock will come when you see what you paint! James Whistler paintartiststudents If other people are going to talk, conversation becomes impossible. James Whistler communicationtalkingpeople Listen! There was never an artistic period. There was never an art-loving nation. James Whistler periodsappreciationart The world is divided into two classes - invalids and nurses. James Whistler nurseclasstwo Art is a goddess of dainty thought, reticent of habit, abjuring all obtrusiveness, purposing in no way to better others. She is, withal selfishly occupied with her own perfection only - having no desire to teach. James Whistler perfectiondesireart The masterpiece should appear as the flower to the painter - perfect in its bud as in its bloom - with no reason to explain its presence - no mission to fulfill - a joy to the artist, a delusion to the philanthropist - a puzzle to the botanist - an accident of sentiment and alliteration to the literary man. James Whistler flowerartistmen Art should be independent of all clap-trap - should stand alone, and appeal to the artistic sense of eye or ear, without confounding this with emotions entirely foreign to it, as devotion, pity, love, patriotism and the like. All these have no kind of concern with it; and that is why I insist on calling my works 'arrangements' and 'harmonies. James Whistler independenteyeart The work of a master reeks not of the sweat of the brow - suggests no effort - and is finished from its beginning. James Whistler sweateffortmasters If silicon had been a gas I should have been a major-general. James Whistler gasshould-havescience To say of a picture, as is often said in its praise, that it shows great and earnest labour, is to say that it is incomplete and unfit for view. James Whistler praiseviewssaid Art happens-no hovel is safe from it, no prince may depend upon it, the vastest intelligence cannot bring it about. James Whistler intelligencemayart The explanation is quite simple. I wished to be near my mother. James Whistler birthsimplemother Can't a person be born where they want to be born? James Whistler bornpersonswant Nature is usually wrong. James Whistler nature The vast majority of English folk cannot and will not consider a picture as a picture, apart from any story which it may be supposed to tell. James Whistler majoritystoriesmay The rare few, who, early in life have rid themselves of the friendship of the many. James Whistler friendship It is for the artist... in portrait painting to put on canvas something more than the face the model wears for that one day; to paint the man, in short, as well as his features. James Whistler one-dayartistmen Truly color is vice! Of course, it can be, and has the right to be one of the finest virtues. Controlled by the strong hand and careful guidance of her Master drawing, color is a splendid Mistress, with a mate worthy of herself, her lover, but her Master likewise, the most magnificent Mistress possible, and the result is evident in all the glorious things that spring from their union. James Whistler strongspringhands Nature is very rarely right, to such an extent even, that it might almost be said that nature is usually wrong. James Whistler saidmight
