James McNeill Whistler - Cremorne Gardens, No. 2 [1872-77]

James McNeill Whistler - Cremorne Gardens, No. 2 [1872-77], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

Between about 1872 and 1877 Whistler painted seven oils featuring Cremorne Gardens, a popular London amusement park that offered music, dancing, coloured light shows, and spectacular fireworks. The French Impressionists, whom Whistler knew, also portrayed outdoor public entertainments. In contrast to them, however, Whistler sought to create a harmonious world on the canvas, not simply to record the world of appearances. As Cremorne Gardens was associated with the demimonde, the painting may refer to an encounter between four prostitutes and a potential customer. Whistler's principal goal, however, was to imply with his brilliantly coloured, ghostlike forms the ephemeral charm of an evening's gathering in the veiled atmosphere of an indistinct setting rather than a legible narrative.

[Oil on canvas, 68.6 x 134.9 cm]