{"product_id":"caprice-in-purple-and-gold-the-golden-screen-james-mcneill-whistler","title":"Caprice in Purple and Gold: The Golden Screen - James McNeill Whistler","description":"\u003cp\u003eA seminal work of Japonisme, this 1864 painting by James McNeill Whistler captures a woman in a kimono, exploring the aesthetic harmony of colour and form.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePainted in 1864, Caprice in Purple and Gold: The Golden Screen reflects the intense fascination with Japanese art that permeated the European avant-garde during the mid-nineteenth century. James McNeill Whistler depicts his model, Joanna Hiffernan, dressed in a kimono and seated before a folding screen. The composition is deliberately flattened, drawing inspiration from the ukiyo-e woodblock prints that were circulating in London and Paris at the time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhistler employs a restricted palette, focusing on the interplay between the gold of the screen and the deep purples and blacks of the subject's attire. The figure is shown in profile, examining a print, which creates a quiet, contemplative atmosphere. The inclusion of scattered prints on the floor serves to reinforce the theme of artistic collection and the aesthetic appreciation of foreign objects. Unlike the traditional portraiture of the era, which prioritised psychological depth or narrative, this work prioritises the arrangement of colour and form.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe painting is a clear example of the artist's interest in the decorative potential of the canvas. By removing the subject from a conventional domestic setting and placing her within a space defined by Japanese motifs, Whistler creates a controlled environment where the visual elements operate independently of traditional storytelling. The brushwork is precise, allowing for the rendering of the fabric textures and the gilded surface of the screen. This piece remains a significant example of the early phase of Japonisme in Western art, demonstrating how artists began to integrate non-Western compositional strategies into their own practice. It is currently held in the collection of the Freer Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/the-village-with-the-chapel-seen-from-tertres-st-briac-henri-riviere\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eThe Village with the Chapel Seen from Tertres (St. Briac) - Henri Rivière — Henri Rivière\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/ivory-netsuke-felix-hilaire-buhot\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eIvory Netsuke - Félix Hilaire Buhot — Félix Hilaire Buhot\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"James McNeill Whistler","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58844203352399,"sku":null,"price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58844294709583,"sku":null,"price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58844294742351,"sku":null,"price":49.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ B2 (50x70 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58844294775119,"sku":null,"price":69.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A1 (59.4 x 84.1  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58844294807887,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Caprice-in-Purple-and-Gold_-The-Golden-Screen_Poster_CompositorV1_1790026111052.jpg?v=1790026695","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.com\/products\/caprice-in-purple-and-gold-the-golden-screen-james-mcneill-whistler","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}