Some thought him a dandy, a publicity seeker with more avant-garde imagination than substantive artistic talent. Yet James Whistler’s paintings stand as some of America’s greatest contributions to the world of modern art. This program traces Whistler’s career in 19th-century Paris through experiments with light and form, to his court battle with English art critic Ruskin. Ruskin countersued Whistler for libel after Whistler sued Ruskin over a bad review. The case is viewed as a first round in the ongoing battle for supremacy between realism and modern art. Many of Whistler’s works are included: White Girl, Homage to Delacroix, Symphony in White, Harmony in Blue and Gold, and the famous Whistler’s Mother. Later paintings illustrate Whistler’s emerging impressionist style that culminates in the Nocturnes, a series of dark, dream-like works inspired by Japanese art. Whistler’s relationships with Gustav Courbet, Claude Monet, and the pre-Raphaelites are also discussed. (27 minutes)