Edward Guthrie Kennedy 1893 - 1895

James McNeill Whistler painted this portrait of Edward Guthrie Kennedy, likely in the late 19th century. The painting offers an interesting window into the relationship between artist and dealer in a rapidly changing art world. Whistler, an American expatriate, made his career in Europe. Like many artists of his era, he struggled to find a market for his work. The rise of art dealers like Kennedy was crucial to the development of modern art. Dealers took on the risk of promoting and selling art, giving artists more freedom. Look at the way the sitter is presented in the painting, and in the way, Whistler presents himself as an artist. How does he want to be seen? To understand this painting better, we could research the history of art galleries in the late 19th century, and look into the correspondence between Whistler and Kennedy, which is preserved in many archives. These sources would allow us to understand the social and institutional context that made this painting possible.