Whistler and the world: the Lunder Collection of James McNeill Whistler at the Colby College Museum of Art

Abstract

Celebrating the renowned Lunder Collection of James McNeill Whistler, this lavishly illustrated volume commemorates an artist who dedicated his life to the pursuit of beauty. It also honors the commitment of Peter and Paula Lunder to share that beauty by making it available for all to enjoy at the Colby College Museum of Art. Reproducing the entirety of the collection - more than 300 works in total - the catalogue contains the finest and most extraordinary examples of his work from across his illustrious career. Twenty-four essays from leading and emerging scholars provide insightful analyses and thoughtful reflections on one of the most innovative and rebellious artists of the nineteenth century. This volume pays tribute to Whistler's creative force and to the exquisite ways he elevated his surroundings into the realm of art. Each work in the catalogue is one part of what Whistler termed "the story of the beautiful," a quest to capture the beauty he saw in the world, a mission to enrich lives through his art. This is a story the Lunder Collection tells superbly.