Christa Giles

the black figure–placed there because black
was wanted at that spot. All that I know is
that my combination of gray and gold
satisfies my artistic feeling. 465
177
It is interesting that Huysmans perceives Whistler’s
paintings in precisely the terms the painter would have
wished; that is to say, as a ˝série d’harmonies.˝ 466 He speaks
of Whistler’s Portrait of his mother exclusively in terms of
his use of colour:
…une vieille dame se découpant de profil,
dans ses vêtements noirs, sur un mur gris que
continue un rideau noir, tacheté de blanc.
C’est inquiétant, d’une couleur différente de
celle que nous avons coutume de voir. La
toile est, avec cela, à peine chargée, montrant,
pour un peu, son grain. L’accord du gris et du
noir de l’encre de chine était une joie pour les
yeux surpris de ces lestes et profonds
accords… 467
Wilde also felt that Whistler could
teach you the beauty and joy of colour. Take
Mr. Whistler’s ˝Symphony in White˝ which
you have no doubt imagined to be something
quite bizarre. It is nothing of the sort. Think of
a cool grey sky flecked here and there with
white clouds, a grey ocean and three