Whistler, James Abbott McNeill (1834-1903)
Arrangement in Gray: Portrait of the Painter
c.1872
Oil on canvas, 74.9 x 53.3 cm
Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit
In this painting, Whistler explores problems in technique and composition, as well as his own psyche; the viewer is confronted by a cool, appraising gaze from a face of deceptive immediacy. The flattened forms, subtle gradations of gray, and asymmetrical composition of the work reveal a strong Japanese influence. (DIA)