Harmony in Grey and Green: Miss Cicely Alexander is a painting created by the American artist James Abbott McNeill Whistler in 1872-74. This piece of artwork, currently held at the Tate Gallery in London, supports the realist movement, renowned for its ability to capture accurate representations of everyday life. To paint this oil on canvas piece, Whistler used unique soft brushstrokes and subtle colours to emulate harmony between his subject and her surroundings.
Undoubtedly, this masterpiece gives a sense of stillness while allowing an intimate glimpse into the life of Miss Cicely Alexander. Each segment within this artwork has an equal amount of importance; whether it is the hues of grey or variations in green with the walls, windows and chair these all hold grounding energy and help to keep us in our seats as we attempt to visually dissect this painting.
Whistler’s style was widely respected during his period, it also carried on inspiring future generations such as with his later work Brown And Gold – another stunning piece of artwork which was also painted with oil on canvas but between 1895-1900. With earthy tones that echo nature meeting his characteristic style of gentle brushstrokes, it can easily be attributed to Whistler’s talent for bringing harmony into his artwork.
