Author Description

With this anthology of excerpts from letters, diaries, critical reviews, and other published writings of the time, leading Whistler scholar Spencer here does a great service to anyone interested in the painter and in the artistic and literary worlds of the late 19th century. His book is a vivid portrait of a perennially fascinating figure known as much for his acerbic tongue and libel case against Ruskin as for his atmospheric paintings. Period photographs help visually to set the scene, and thorough annotations accompanying each selection illuminate textual references to people, works of art, and events. Lush color plates, several of which fold out, are remarkably true to the originals. An excellent purchase for most libraries. - Library Journal.