James Abbott McNeill Whistler (July 11, 1834 - July 17, 1903) was an American-born, British-based painter and etcher. Averse to sentimentality in painting, he was a leading proponent of the credo "art for art's sake". He took to signing his paintings with a stylized butterfly, possessing a long stinger for a tail. The symbol was apt, for Whistler's art was characterized by a subtle delicacy, in contrast to his combative public persona. Wikipedia
The definitive Wikipedia entry for James McNeill Whistler. Wikipedia is the biggest multilingual free-content encyclopedia on the Internet. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_McNeill_Whistler
"Whistler was the son of a railway engineer, born in Lowell, Massachusetts, but throughout his life he pretended to be a Southern gentleman. www.artchive.com/artchive/W/whistler.html
James McNeill Whistler [American Tonalist Painter and Printmaker, 1834-1903] Guide to pictures of works by James McNeill Whistler in art museum sites and image archives worldwide. www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/whistler_james_mcneill.html
