Resrach on J. McN. Whistler and his two patrons focused on their Japanese art collections

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25370130
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Fine art history
• Research Institution: Shinshu University
• Principal Investigator: ONO Ayako 信州大学, 学術研究院教育学系, 准教授 (10377616)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: パトロン / ジャポニスム / 日本美術コレクション / J. McN.ホイッスラー / 東西交流

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research investigates the mutual influence of painter and patron on each other in Japanese art, focusing on J. McN. Whistler and his two patrons, a wealthy banker, William Cleverly Alexander and Detroit industrialist and founder of the Freer Gallery of Art, Charles Lang Freer. It is known that Whistler’s patrons, first W. C. Alexander and later C.L. Freer, collected not only Whistler’s works but also Oriental art from various places including Japan. Alexander’s Japanese art collection influenced Whistler’s work while Whistler’s Japonisme helped to shape Freer’s understanding of the “universality of beauty” in the east and west and thus his extensive collection of art work from around the world.

Free Research Field

美術史