WHAT? James McNeill Whistler

WHERE? Tate Britain, Millbank, London SW1P 4RG

WHEN? Now until 27th September

WHY GO? To meet a legend. Whistler’s mother is almost as famous as he was himself. Not everyone can claim that their mother outshines them, but Anna McNeill Whistler is recognised the world over as she sits in solitude, perhaps lamenting her son’s renowned philandering! One of the most revealing things in this terrific blockbuster is that the talented bohemian Whistler was also fearlessly rebellious, even arguing with the great art critic John Ruskin whom he took to court for libel. Informative captions tell tearful tales of how long his sitters posed and how much pressure he imposed upon them, but the results speak for themselves. His beautiful portrait of Joanna Hiffernan, his lover and model, shines centre stage radiant in white for all to admire. Born in Massachusetts, Whistler lived between London and Paris and captured the spirit of each city from the inky waters of the Thames to his famous French Set etchings. His maverick talents, switching between etchings and drawings to paintings and printmaking, are emphasised throughout and the exhibition opens with a staging of his studio. Whistler's passion for Japanese ceramics is well documented within a life-like replica of the Peacock Room which he decorated for his patron Frederick R Leyland in 1877 and with whom he also famously had yet another row. Whistler died in 1903 leaving a legacy of wonderful work but none more famous than that iconic image of his mother which is on loan from the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, and with mother ‘en vacances’ here in London, she must be visited!

IN THE KNOW? Dig deeper into the man as a rule-breaking artist. There will be a two-day conference to coincide with the Whistler exhibition exploring his career in depth. This is one for true art enthusiasts, from 18th-19th June, check online for tickets.