James Whistler Quotes about Art

An artist is not paid for his labor but for his vision.

An artist is not paid for his labor but for his vision.

Tattoo, Art, Creativity

As music is the poetry of sound, so is painting the poetry of sight and the subject-matter has nothing to do with harmony of sound or of color.

James Whistler

Art, Color, Sight

James M. Whistler (2012). “The Gentle Art of Making Enemies”, p.106, Courier Corporation

Art should be independent of all clap-trap - should stand alone, and appeal to the artistic sense of eye or ear, without confounding this with emotions entirely foreign to it, as devotion, pity, love, patriotism and the like. All these have no kind of concern with it; and that is why I insist on calling my works 'arrangements' and 'harmonies.

James Whistler

Art, Independent, Eye

James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Peter Russell (2017). “Delphi Complete Works of James McNeill Whistler (Illustrated)”, p.620, Delphi Classics

For art and joy go together, with bold openness, and high head, and ready hand - fearing naught and dreading no exposure.

James Whistler

Art, Hands, Joy

James M. Whistler (2012). “The Gentle Art of Making Enemies”, p.120, Courier Corporation

It takes a long time for a man to look like his portrait.

James Whistler

Art, Men, Long

An artist's career always begins tomorrow

James Whistler

Art, Writing, Careers

Industry in art is a necessity - not a virtue - and any evidence of the same, in the production, is a blemish, not a quality; a proof, not of achievement, but of absolutely insufficient work, for work alone will efface the footsteps of work.

James Whistler

Art, Achievement, Quality

James M. Whistler (2012). “The Gentle Art of Making Enemies”, p.100, Courier Corporation

Art is a goddess of dainty thought, reticent of habit, abjuring all obtrusiveness, purposing in no way to better others. She is, withal selfishly occupied with her own perfection only - having no desire to teach.

James Whistler

Art, Perfection, Desire

James M. Whistler (2012). “The Gentle Art of Making Enemies”, p.110, Courier Corporation