ARTH 557(F) James McNeill Whistler
The Massachusetts-born, Sankt Petersburg-raised, West Point-educated, Paris-trained, London-residing, Japan-worshipping James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903)-in addition to exemplifying the cosmopolitanism of his age-revolutionized the arts of painting, printmaking, interior decoration, exhibition design, and artistic self-promotion. We will study his many achievements through study of selected works and considerations of the varied cultural circles in which he moved: the French avant-garde of several generations, British Pre-Raphaelites and Aesthetes, American expatriates, and a panoply of European poets, industrialists, and celebrities. Substantial archival resources and bibliography will assist our investigations and itself be a field of inquiry.
Expectations: synopses of the weekly readings; two short written assignments; an oral report, to be presented in revised, written form at semester's end; and a critical commentary on another student's report. An overnight field trip to Washington, D.C., is likely.
Enrollment limit: 12 (expected: 8-12). Preference will be given to graduate students and then to senior majors.
Hour: SIMPSON