The fourth lecture of the current PartnerRe/Bermuda National Gallery’s art lecture series was presented on the evening of March 8, by Dr. Katherine A. Lochnan, Deputy Director of Research and Fraser Elliott Curator of Prints and Drawings at the Art Gallery of Ontario.

The title of her lecture was “To You With All My Heart”: The Friendship of Whistler and Monet.

Although it is generally known that Whistler and Monet were contemporaries, it is not so well known that they were close friends.

The lecture by Dr. Lochnan cast considerable light on the topic of this friendship and demonstrated that Whistler, who was six years older than Monet, also considerably influenced Monet, as did Monet Whistler.

During the lecture, Dr. Lochnan showed side-by-side slides of their work and the similarity was striking. Additionally, the impact of the Japanese print on both Whistler and Monet was documented.

Currently, there is at the National Gallery an exhibition of Japanese woodcuts and Dr. Lochnan used this opportunity to draw the fact of this influence on these artists, to our attention as well.

Indeed, the lecture took place in the Main Gallery at the Bermuda National Gallery, the very room where this Japanese print show is being exhibited.

Although Whistler and Monet were close friends, as indicated by the title of this lecture, it is not known exactly how or when they met. Whistler, as a young man, studied in Paris, was influenced by Courbet and possibly met Monet at that time. That is speculation, however.

The outcome of this research by Dr. Lochnan and the exhibition that resulted from this research, does somewhat change our thinking especially regarding Whistler.

Whistler’s reputation has been somewhat eclipsed by French Impressionism, but Dr. Lochnan, when pressed after her talk by one questioner to consider who she thought the better artist, hedged a little but then said that if she really had to make that choice, she probably would select Whistler.

It is clear though that this is a personal consideration and as to who is better; it is really silly to even speculate. Both are very accomplished.

Dr. Lochnan also considered, somewhat, the infamous lawsuit Whistler brought against that justly famous art critic, John Ruskin. In considering one of Whistler’s ‘Nocturnes’, Ruskin said that he “never expected to hear a coxcomb ask 200 guineas for flinging a pot of paint in the public’s face”.

Whistler sued for libel and won, nevertheless, the judge awarded him the sum of one farthing. This case was absolutely ruinous to Whistler but the quote used in the title, “To you with all my heart”, was from a letter written to Whistler by Monet, in the aftermath of this court case. It is indicative of just how highly Monet regarded him.

It is also indicative of a friendship that held despite this internationally known, landmark court case.

The case itself, while very serious, was noted for Whistler’s witty responses to certain questions. Although witty, his responses were about certain aspects of aesthetics, that today we recognise as important in the shift to modern art thinking.