Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-17
Reviews of New Books
.rhe whistler yosrMsl.r


"Thc whistler Journal" BY Eliza !
beth II. aud Joseph Pennell. authors
Of the authorized Life N James Nc
Nell whistler Photographers from /
tispiece pnd io2 illustrations. Phia-
dclphIa. Pa. J. -. Lippincott CO.
Price. $3.50. net.
When Whistler arranged with the
Pcnnells 10 write, his life. he knew
he was confldIng congcnlal task To
good friends who knew him well and
would do him Justice. They were OF
tbose who recognized his great genius,
who were not affected by his vanities
and occentrlcitIes, and he held them
| is Nigh esteem. And the "rha Whist
1 lcr Journal win carry with 1t full
meaH,Itc of authority and appreciation
Of the man, his life and his work,
which forms an additional and very
material element Of It's value.
/ 1t may be found advisable, IN prep
aration for n fun enjoyment of "The
Whistler Journal" 10 have cursory
glance of the man who brought it
into existence. Whistler was a born
artist. not of inclination by heredty,
but through inherent natural aspira-
lion. ON his fathers side he descend
cd from an ancestory Of military men
OF renown, and he was intended for
a like career. but revoltod after an
effort in that direction. lie was APP
pointed TO West Point. but secured no.
merit marks except for drawing, and
had ssuch a bad showing in studies at
the end Of his third year that he was
dismissed from The military academy.
This wac I'm i8si--.he was born in
Lowell. Mass, July 10, 1ssi-and not
long afterwards he went 20 Paris and
there entered fully upon his dis
tingushed artistic career.
For Whistler vas truly an artist Of
high merit. Despite his eccentricities,
he had the conmendable virtue Of per
sistence, as is attested by the fact that
the Paris Salon regularly turned down
his pictures for siy years, and then ac-
cepted and gave them honor He had
an unusual propensity for csustic wit.
for ridicule--Hnd also for humor--for
contention, especially with other mem
bers OF his profession He offended
inost Of them gravely by his insistence
that painting should appeal only to
the eye. and not be employed for the
. expression Of ideals or emotions. He
qusrrelled vigorously with his adj
verse critics, ana entered an action
! for damages against John Ruskin, the
noted English cfitio, who had said of
his "Nocturne' that II was iik. dash
ing kettle Of paint i'm the face Of the
. London public. And he won his suit.
although the jury awarded him only
a farthing in damages, but he accept
cd the farthing and ever afterwards
proudly wore it ss charm on his
watch guard.
But Whistler worked. and for years
during his life, and since his death
he died July ~. ,aoS--his productions
have been priced the world over es-
pecially in tho great art centres of
! Europe, in ell Of which he was =
familiar figure during his busy and
cventful and restless career
'The Whistler journal" is p revela.
ton OF tho leading characteristics Of
this famous man. and an intimate In
. production to his interesting person.
4 rlitv. II tells Of scenes and Incident.
a connected with his work. his work
D his aspirations. his numerous scquaint.
{ ances. and has thrown many lights
, upon the differing judgments tha,
4wcre placed upon his artistic merit
1 from the beginning until the days Of
his splendid triumphs. Fer in his in.
T tercourse with the Psnnells Whistle,
D told them much Of his CONTEMPORARIES
0 artists, authors. men and women well.
= known in London. And Whistler knew
q about everyone worth knowing Of his
] generation. ft is a recital most inter.
e esting. and will prove especially sc
3 to oil lovers Of art--of whistler's art.
g An appendix to the book include.
e whistler az Decorator" n paper
: printed several years ago in Century
Magazine; Whistler Memorial. and III,
complete legal papers filed in nj.
famous libel suit against Ruskin.
In Tho Whistler Journal" and no
previously published. are intimat.
revelations Of Whistler. his friends
- his views on nrt and artists. note. o
- his talk much of IL witty, for Whistler
is was tho greatest wit OF his age; nnucf
= OF II serious. for he was more seriou,
q than most of his contemporaries: ans
; much that is pathetic and sad. fol
d though he triumphed. his triumph wa.
n the outcome Of great tribulatlons.
The illustrations in the book ar,
t. also OF an intimate personal character
10 Many are sketches and studies which
m are in the possession of tho author
II and their friends. or in the Pennel
Collection in the Library of Congress
h and are now reproduced for the frs
time.
Received Of the publishers.
"The Hope OF the Future BY Ee
ward r. Eagle. Boston, Mass: Th
is Cornhill Co., "a Park street. pric