James McNeill Whistler (1834 – 1903)
American-born, British-based painter and etcher.
[In response to a lady who said that a landscape reminded her of his work] Yes, madam, Nature is creeping up.
It is for the artist...in portrait painting to put on canvas something more than the face the model wears for that one day; to paint the man, in short, as well as his features.
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.
A group from Glasgow sought in 1891 to purchase his portrait of Thomas Carlyle was shocked that Whistler's price was 1000 guineas. A spokesman countered that the portrait was not even life size. Whistler replied, "But, you know, few men are life size."
One cannot continually disappoint a Continent.
If more than 5% of the people like a painting then burn it for it must be bad.
You shouldn't say it is not good. You should say, you do not like it; and then, you know, you're perfectly safe.