ticketsMember | Make a donation

James Abbott McNeill Whistler

1885
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 771
On his way to Spain in 1885 by way of London, Chase decided to introduce himself to James McNeill Whistler (1834–1903), whose works he had long admired. Whistler urged him to stay longer so they could paint portraits of one another. In depicting Whistler, Chase echoed traits that appear in his subject’s recent portraits, such as that of Théodore Duret (13.20): an elongated figure, a low-keyed palette, free brushwork, and ambiguous space. Although Chase must have intended to honor Whistler and his style with these echoes, Whistler was offended, calling the work a “monstrous lampoon” and possibly destroying his portrait of Chase.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: James Abbott McNeill Whistler
  • Artist: William Merritt Chase (American, Williamsburg, Indiana 1849–1916 New York)
  • Date: 1885
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions: 74 1/8 x 36 1/4 in. (188.3 x 92.1 cm)
  • Credit Line: Bequest of William H. Walker, 1918
  • Object Number: 18.22.2
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Portrait of Daniel M. Tredwell
William Merritt Chase
19th–20th century
Portrait of a Man, XVII Century Style
William Merritt Chase
19th–20th century
Son of Carl von Piloty
William Merritt Chase
19th–20th century
Portrait of Daniel M. Tredwell
William Merritt Chase
Daniel Melancthon Tredwell
n.d.
Bust of a man wearing squared white collar and facing three-quarters to the left
William Merritt Chase
mid-to late 19th century

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.