A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
James McNeill Whistler, The White Girl, and the Animal(s) in Question
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6148675 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Laura D Gelfand (0000-0002-2937-4095, Utah State University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2023 |
| Volume | 14 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication date | 2023-10-26 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Humanimalia (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2151-8645 • E-ISSN: 2151-8645 |
| Publisher | Humanimalia, Utrecht University (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.52537/humanimalia.13562 |
| OpenAlex | W4388205284 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 6 |
James McNeill Whistler’s painting, Symphony in White, No. 1: The White Girl, has been the focus of much art historical analysis, but the animal rug beneath the feet of his model has received little attention. In this essay I suggest that Whistler represented a mounted wolf’s head sitting on top of a large sheepskin rug, i.e., a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Exploring the diverse meanings of this symbol within the context of the painting complicates how we understand the work and reinforces its importance as a reflection of the artist’s life and ambitions at the time he created it
Aesthetics · Archaeology · Art · Art history · Clothing · Context (archaeology · Girl · Painting · Symbol (formal · Visual arts · Whistler · White (mutation · Art History and Market Analysis · Fashion and Cultural Textiles · History · Philosophy · Psychology · Visual Culture and Art Theory
| Highly cited | No |
|---|