New-York tribune., 1904-08-14

ings with Velasquez which Il has always been
natural to attribute to him NJ Duret touches
upon the question so often asked as to whether
Whistler ever did actually visit the Prado 1t
seems that he started for Madrid in the summer
of 1862 with the definite purpose of looking at
the works of the Spanish masters. but the
charm of Guethary, between Biarritz and Saint
Jean-de-Luz, arrested him. and an accident sent
him back to Paris, with the Prado still unvsited-
His correspondence in 1865 shows to NJ. Duret
that visiting Amsterdam for the first time in
that year he admired Rembrandt's might
Watch" and developed a high disdain for the
painting of Van der Helst The year 1868 was
the year of La File Blanche" and that Salon
des Refuses in which Whistler, with this work,
figured in the company of Bracquemond.
Fantin-Latour. Harpignies. Jongkind. Manet,
Vollon and other malcontents afterward famous.
NJ Duret notes, by the way, that the model who
posed for Ia File Blanche also posed for the
charming etching known 'Joe,' and that she
was the beautiful young Irish girl whom Cour-
bet likewise painted. He had, it may be added
a warm regard for Courbet with whom In the
summers OF 1865 and 1866. he painted on the
beach at Trouville. His biographer thinks that
the French realist had double influence upon
Whistler. Affecting him in his art TO a certain
extent and confirming him in his taste for
persifage- He does not believe in laying over
much stress on the Americans debt to VeIas-
quez Apropos of Whistler's confidence in black
as the great harmonizer. and his seeming emula-
ton OF Velasquez ia respect to simple dark back
grounds, the author states that the first portrait
In which the painter exploited the idea is the
Arrangement In Black and White No l."
otherwise known THE American" which he
showed at the Grosvenor Gallery in 1878 From
the reproduction IL would appear TO be one Of
Whistler's happiest efforts
This book makes very clear (tha more clearly
because the story Is told without exaggaratior,,
the difficulties Whistler experienced in innosinr
MS art upon his contemporaries Following hin,
from Paris to London in the COS NJ Duret
exhibits the peculiar situation In which Whistler
found himself partly because his adoption If
musical nomenclature for titles 10 his works he
wildered the British. and partly because Rus
kin's energy in eulogizing Burne-Jones mt tha
pubic In Just the mood To resent the Kind OF ART
that Whistler was producing very good idea
Is given of the painters practical experience OF
the effect OF unpopularity at that moment. and
OF his ability to keep up his spirits The sale
OF his house. with its contents in 1879 TO sat
isfy his creditors. did not lessen the Eayety with
which he proceeded to Venice in the same year
to make those twelve etchirgs for which the
Fine Arts Society had promised to raw him
600. with an extra compensation OF 10 shiU-
ings for each proof that he would himself puu
from the plates on his return. In fact while
fully conscious Of the struggle which Whistler
had 10 make against the ignorance. aud even
malice b. which hc WIS confronted. VI. Duret
Is careful not 10 paint his friend as a man who
never had any success until his serIb5Iins dis
eoverers OF the last few years took him up.