Rex Whistler

Focusing on the British virtuoso Rex Whistler (1905–1944), who was linked to many of themost illustrious figures of the inter-war period, this book explores an exceptional case ofartistic patronage in the twentieth century. In weaving together social and art history, thisbeautifully illustrated volume will be as much about the artist as it is about his patrons. Itaccompanies a major exhibition at the Salisbury Museum, which holds the Rex Whistler Archive.Whistler’s cast of patrons reads like the Who’s Who of his time: the art collector and poetEdward James, the avid diarist and socialite Sir Henry ‘Chips’ Channon, Lord and Lady LouisMountbatten, Cecil Beaton, Duff and Diana Cooper, author and poet Lady Dorothy Wellesleyand many others for whom Whistler worked on a diverse range of commissions, from murals,portraits and bookplates to architectural improvements and even book illustrations. Theexchange with his patrons, the book argues, gave Whistler an opportunity to explore a richvariety of subjects, materials and techniques.The artworks discussed in the volume range from a recently re-discovered painting forSir Malcolm Bullock, a substantial history painting unique in Whistler’s oeuvre, to themagnificent murals at Port Lympne and Trent Park designed for Sir Philip Sassoon, oneof the greatest hosts of the age, to Plas Newydd, where Whistler created one of the largestprivate mural schemes in the inter-war period for the 6th Marquess and Marchioness ofAnglesey. It culminates with Maud Russell’s mansion at Mottisfont, where in 1938–39 theartist was painting one of his finest works in trompe l’oeil as war loomed over Europe, thewar in which Whistler gave his life for his country.Whistler’s commissioning circle were both diverse and privileged, with many embracingthe sexual fluidity of the time, and the book deepens our understanding of how the elite wereprotected by their wealth and position from the strict societal mores of the 1920s and 30s.The artist understood the importance of creating beautiful private spaces for all his clients;but, for some, at a time when homosexuality was still illegal, he was painting murals inhouses that were acknowledged havens where sexual preferences could be expressed withoutfear of discrimination.Dr Nikki Frater, an expert on Whistler’s work, draws on extensive archival research andnewly available material to present a fresh interpretation of the relationship between theartist and his milieu. Frater’s behind-the-scenes approach illuminates Whistler’s creativemethods and techniques and includes many previously unseen drawings and sketches.The book speaks not only of his patrons, but also paints a nuanced portrait of his oeuvre andthe artist himself, as he tried to combine his challenging career with a complicated romanticlife. This is a timely re-examination, given the recent controversy surrounding his mural atthe Tate Gallery Restaurant, and offers an opportunity to understand fully Whistler’s place inand contribution to the arts and culture of his time.