James Abbott McNeill Whistler's 1871 portrait of his mother, Anna Matilda McNeill, has crossed over from the realm of fine art to that of popular culture. Whistler (1834-1903), an expatriate American painter active in London and Paris, was one of a number of late nineteenth-century artists who downplayed subject matter and emphasized abstract values. People often refer to the painting as "Whistler's mother," but Whistler himself preferred to call it Arrangement in Gray and Black. Ironically, the painting is famous largely because of its subject. Recognized as a universal symbol of motherhood, Whistler's mother was featured, in 1934, on a United States postage stamp honoring Mother's Day. However, she has not always been treated so reverently. The somber, seated figure, a familiar reference point in many countries, has been widely lampooned in the popular performing, as well as visual, arts.

James Abbott McNeill Whistler's 8

Further Reading:

Anderson, Ronald. James McNeill Whistler: Beyond the Myth. London, J. Murray, 1994.

Spencer, Robin. Whistler. Rev. ed. London, Studio Editions, 1993.