How to See Whistler Paintings in Glasgow

James McNeill Whistler is one of America’s finest painters. Born in 1834 in Massachusetts, he spent much of his life abroad, studying in Paris and absorbing influences from the vibrant French art scene before taking up residence in Britain. Through various quirks of fate, much of his finest work ended up in Glasgow, and the Glasgow Hunterian Art Gallery now hosts the largest publicly accessible collection of Whistler art in the world.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Visit the website of Glasgow Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery (see Resources). Located in Glasgow’s West End, the Hunterian is part of the Glasgow University complex. In his lifetime, Whistler was granted an honorary degree by Glasgow University. This was among the factors which, after his death, led his wife’s sister, Rosalind, who became executrix of his estate, to gift most of the remaining items of Whistler artwork and memorabilia she possessed to Glasgow University.
2. Prioritise the items you want to see. The Hunterian Museum has thousands of Whistler artworks so you won’t be able to take them all in on one visit. Using the catalogue search facility on the museum website, you can see brief descriptions and thumbnail images of the artwork in the collection, however, allowing you to think in advance about the ones you most want to see up close and personal.
3. Check the website for details of the Hunterian Gallery’s opening hours and for tips on how to get there. Admission is free and there’s no need to book anything in advance.
4. Go to the Hunterian Gallery. On the university campus, it nestles just beneath the large, skyscraper-like library building.
5. View the museum’s extensive Whistler Collection.
6. Go to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. After you’re seen everything the Hunterian Gallery has to offer, you’re not done yet. Kelvingrove Museum has some fine Whistler work too. In fact, it’s only one painting but it is one of his best--a brooding portrait of Thomas Carlyle. Don’t worry. Kelvingrove Museum isn’t too far away from Glasgow University--about half a mile. In fact, if you stand on the hill outside the university’s main building, you will get a fine view of the red towers of the Kelvingrove Museum down below.
7. See Whistler's Portrait of Thomas Carlyle to round off your tour.

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