The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-26
VIII tier.

10 THE EDITOR OF lHE SCN-Sh. nave
read with advertisement the editorial on
james Mcneil Whistler In The Sun Of last
Sunday. My surmise would have been that
you would give to the art Of Whistler gener-
Gus and adequate recognition.
As an ndmircr of Whistler. the painter. as
well as Whistler. the etcher cannot refrain
from appealing from the depreciation OF that
editorial 10 the appreciation" which ap-
peared In TIE Sun on Nov 8, 1901. and which
have seen quoted ms "one OF the most COM
petent expectations Of whistler's art"
The editorial says: Whistler In earlier
life was real etcher, easily the Grst of the
nineteenth century. The number Of his
plates OF the best quality is comparatively
small He soon lost his power. or the incen-
tive TO exercise ii. His hand degenersted;
his work became trivial and insincere. As n
painter. none OF his pictures will ever OK
plain to osterity the repr tation. or the ap-
parent reputation. that he enjoyed during
his lifetime"
The appreciation says after referring to
the influences which may have affected
Whistlers work in painting: Out Of these
various influences. his own personality. ire
sistibly original. at once fanciful and pene-
trating, serene and nervous. permeated with
the Quint essence OF sepsuous refinement. he
has fashioned for himself language faithful
to the colorng Of his own spirit. In the strict
est sense original and stamped with style
a style that Ia simple. earnest, grand: while
OF Whist Ter as an etcher II says: In the
Little French Series (Isssl. the Thames
Series Qis7D, the First Venice Series (iSSO,.
and the Second Venice Series tlsS7l. rs we'll
as in other plates etched In France. Holland
and Belgium, he has proved himself the
areutest master OF the needle since REM
HI q Ndt "
That the opinion thus expressed Of Whistler
as a painter will stand substantially mistaken
by the test Of time must. think, seem clear
to any one who is familiar with The Por-
trait OF My Mother. The White Girl. Miss
Alexander, Miss Rosa Corder." Carlyle"
"Sarasate, The Yellow Buskin, The An
dalusian, The Little White Girl" THE
Piano." The Music Room. The Balcony.
"Battersea Beach. "Bognor. on Dieppe"
and Westminster Bridge" among Whistler's
paintings even without regard TO the many
exquisite and beautiful water colors and
pastels which came from his hand.
As regards the etchngs. l must protest
against the suggestion that Whistler's hand
ever degenerated, or that his work became
trivial and insincere On the contrary, his
Amsterdam etchings. published in 1880. show
a hrmness OF hand and mastery OF detail
ID
ton disclosed in the finest Of the Thames
etchings; and my conviction ia that Ia all his
art work Whistler was sincere.
SO far from accepting the dictum that
the number Of his plates OF the best quality
il comparatively small" ! claim that the
number is astonishingly large. and predict
that on his entire etched work. as well AZ the
earlier plates. the ultimate judgment Of those
who appreciate the highest qualities Of etch-
ing will rank Whistler as at least the equal Of
Rembrandt
While Whstler's personal peouliarities
and sccentricties made him open to the more
or less wel-founded charge OF undue egotism
and vanity, and his writings seemed TO show
that he set more store by ennities than friend
ships. IL il but just to say that there are those
myself among the number whose personal
relations with Whistler have continued for
years friendly. and even cordial, and remained
unbroken to the time OF his death,
HOWARD MANsrIELD.
NEW YuRK July 70