Nocturnes and Harmonies: Whistler’s New Vision for Art

Online course (Zoom)

Tuesdays, from 10 am to 12

2 weeks: 18 August and 25 August 2026

Cost: £ 28 (scroll down for payment button)

If you miss a session, you will have the slides and “video-notes” to catch up

Over two sessions, we will explores the life, work, and artistic legacy of James McNeill Whistler (1834–1903), one of the most innovative and influential artists of the nineteenth century. Through the study of his paintings, prints, and writings, we will consider Whistler’s pivotal role in the emergence of modernism.

Tracing his career from his early years in Paris and London to his later international fame, the course will situate Whistler within the dynamic artistic networks of the French modern art world. We will explore his relationships with artists such as Courbet, Manet, and the Impressionists, as well as the influence of Japanese art on his distinctive visual language.

Particular attention will be paid to Whistler’s involvement in the Aesthetic Movement and his advocacy of “art for art’s sake.” Rejecting narrative, moral instruction, and anecdotal content, Whistler sought to create works whose value lay in their formal qualities—such as colours, lines, and the brushstrokes. Through celebrated works such as the Nocturnes, Symphonies, and Venetian etchings, we will examine how his pursuit of artistic autonomy helped redefine the purpose of art and anticipated key aspects of twentieth-century modernism.

Illustration above: Whistler as Butterfly, end of the 19th c. beginning of the 20th c., NYC, The Met (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/372721)

Cost: £ 28

Payment is via Stripe with your bank card. It is easy and safe. If necessary, refunds can be processed with Stripe. If the button below does not work (for instance because of cookie settings), please let me know.

A few days after you’ve paid you will receive a confirmation email from me. The Zoom link is sent to you a week before the session, and then again the day before.

Please check the terms and conditions to see the policy about cancellations and refunds. If you have any issues or questions, do not hesitate to get in touch (see “contact” above).

Thanks!