Group of three standing figures 1858

James McNeill Whistler made this pencil drawing of three figures in a group. The sketchiness and lack of detail may lead us to think about the changing role of the artist in the late 19th century. Whistler was part of a movement interested in art for art's sake. This meant that the artist had license to make art that was not necessarily in service to any social or political cause, or even to make a highly finished product. Instead, artists could explore the aesthetic dimensions of art and allow a certain level of freedom in its creation. This can be contrasted with the academic tradition that privileged highly polished paintings which were thought to reflect the skill and sophistication of the artist. Historians of art can look at how changes in the art market, the rise of museums, and new systems of art education shaped the production of art in this period. By researching these institutions we can more fully understand the meaning of artworks like this.