Eric Denkar (1 results)

Soft cover. Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition, Limited Edition. Denker, Eric. In Pursuit of the Butterfly: Portraits of James McNeill Whistler. Washington, D.C.: National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, in association with University of Washington Press (Seattle and London), 1995. Large-format illustrated softcover exhibition catalogue issued for the National Portrait Gallery exhibition held April 7-August 13, 1995. This scholarly catalogue explores the portraiture of James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903), the American-born painter and printmaker whose career flourished in Paris and London and whose work became closely associated with the Aesthetic Movement. Art historian Eric Denker traces Whistler's development through portraits, self-portraits, drawings, and prints that illuminate the artist's evolving identity and artistic philosophy. The volume examines Whistler's early training, his rise to prominence in European art circles, and the cultural significance of the famous 'butterfly' monogram that became his personal artistic emblem. Numerous reproductions illustrate paintings, etchings, and drawings from major museum collections, accompanied by historical commentary and contextual essays. Published by the National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution, the book served as the official catalogue for the museum's major 1995 exhibition devoted to Whistler's portrait work. It includes a foreword by Alan Fern, essays on Whistler's artistic development and studio circle, bibliographical references, and an index, making it a useful reference for students of nineteenth-century art and collectors interested in Whistler scholarship. Softcover. Near Fine. Binding tight and square. Covers bright with only very light handling wear and minor surface rubbing typical of large-format exhibition catalogues. Interior pages clean, crisp, and unmarked with sharp illustrations throughout. A small pencil notation ('25 DW') appears on the front free endpaper. Copyright page lists © 1995 Smithsonian Institution with no subsequent printings indicated. This copy represents the first edition, first printing (1995) of the exhibition catalogue. Eric Denker is an American art historian and curator specializing in nineteenth-century American and European art. Long affiliated with the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., Denker has curated numerous exhibitions and written extensively on artists such as Whistler, Winslow Homer, and American Impressionists. His work often focuses on portraiture, printmaking, and the transatlantic artistic networks of the nineteenth century.