A truly global figure, Whistler re-wrote the rules of what it meant to be an artist. He pioneered new and innovative techniques, creating astonishingly beautiful, ethereal visions of modern life that would earn him a place as one of the most influential artists of the 19th and 20th centuries.
This retrospective – the first major European exhibition of Whistler’s work in 30 years – brings together the artist’s world-famous paintings alongside rarely, or never seen, works. It includes exquisite portraits, drawings, prints, and designs, from as early as his teens in St. Petersburg to the enigmatic late self-portraits.
The exhibition presents both a boldly experimental artist and cosmopolitan celebrity, disrupting the conventions of Victorian society in pursuit of truth, beauty, and progress.
The Whistler’s Finish Research and Conservation Project was supported by The Lunder Foundation.
James McNeill Whistler
Symphony in White, No. 2: The Little White Girl (1864)
Tate
James Abbott McNeill Whistler Arrangement in Grey and Black No.1 1871 Musée d’Orsay, Paris, France
James McNeill Whistler Wapping 1860-1864 National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, John Hay Whitney Collection, 1982
Smartphone audio guide
James McNeill Whistler, Nocturne: Blue and Gold - Old Battersea Bridge c.1872–5 (detail). Tate.
Every painting tells a story.
Dive deeper into the captivating world of rule-breaking American artist James McNeill Whistler with this self-guided audio tour on your own smartphone.
After purchase, you’ll receive an exclusive link to your audio guide via email. Open the link at the exhibition entrance and listen using your own headphones or your smartphone speaker. No headphones or physical audio devices are provided at the gallery.
Add the £5 guide when booking your ticket. Already a Member? Purchase your guide
Tate Britain's step-free entrance is on Atterbury Street. It has automatic sliding doors and there is a ramp down to the entrance with central handrails.
The Exhibition is on the Lower floor of the gallery.
- Accessible, standard and Changing Places toilets are located on the Lower floor.
- Ear defenders can be borrowed from the ticket desk on the Lower floor.
To help plan your visit to Tate Britain, have a look at our visual story. It includes photographs and information about what you can expect from a visit to the gallery.
For more information before your visit:
- Email hello@tate.org.uk
- Call +44 (0)20 7887 8888 (daily 10.00–17.00)
