Study of a Head 1885

James McNeill Whistler made this “Study of a Head” with oil on canvas. Here, the material of oil paint allows for a certain fluidity and blending of tones. Whistler was known for his interest in the ‘total work of art,’ and he thought a lot about modes of display and presentation, even designing the clothing that his sitters would wear. In this ‘study’ however, Whistler’s brushstrokes give the painting a sense of spontaneity and incompleteness, which departs from the idea of laborious artistic tradition. Whistler often worked quickly, and the speed of execution is evident in the blurring of forms. The materiality of the paint itself becomes a key aspect of the work. It's a painting about the very act of painting. By focusing on materials, making, and context, we start to understand how Whistler challenges the rigid divide between fine art and the applied arts.