Notes to Exhibition: Poetry of Sight, The Prints of James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903) at the New York Public Library (see Dynamic Planet Blog, April 27, 2003):

• Seymor Haden: husband of W.'s half-sister


• Ruskin trial left W. bankrupt


• W. sometimes paid his bills with his art


• W. had at least two unacknowledged children


• portrait of W. by William Merrit Chase: painting each other; W. did not like C.'s picture


• W. had difficulties drawing hand and feet; often only sketched or left out


• W. liked to depict doorways in his prints


• W. had several mistress-modells / model-mistresses


• Venice and Thames sets are very serene, down to earth; great!


• The Gentle Art of Making Enemies: W. created over 100 different butterflies to comment upon text


• Drypoint: technique where fine needle is directly applied to plate


• W. had interest in lower class figures


• W. broke many friendships and relationships violently


• W. sometimes drew on plates that were used previously; sometimes figures and objects can be seen; W. then writes: 'Figures not mine' etc.


• Second Venice Set (1879/80) was inspired by Japanese prints
  

Snippets:
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Synesthesia: Ramachandran and Hubbard, Scientific American May 2003, 53-59: explores linking of certain brain regions in synesthetes.
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Notes to Boston: MIT; Newbury Street: galleries, shopping and restaurants; Copley Square: Trinity Church; Boston Public Library; Freedom Trail: Old State House
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Betsy Ross: sewed the first American flag; house in Philadelphia
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