James McNeill Whistler

James McNeill Whistler was an American-born painter who spent most of his career in London and Paris. Born in Massachusetts in 1834, he became famous both for his art and for his sharp wit and love of controversy. He believed in art for its own sake, valuing harmony of color and tone over storytelling, and he often gave his paintings musical titles like nocturne and arrangement.

His most famous work, a portrait of his mother in gray and black, has become an icon, though he cared more about its formal balance than its sentiment. He once sued a critic who accused him of flinging paint at the public, winning the case but ruining himself financially. Whistler's refined, moody canvases and his idea that a painting need not tell a story were ahead of their time.