Whistler Nocturne ring

This silver-plated ring, with a curving looped band and an oval miniature of Whistler’s Nocturne: Blue and Silver – Chelsea, is a beautiful keepsake made exclusively for Tate to celebrate The EY Exhibition: Impressionists in London exhibition at Tate Britain. Matching earrings, also featuring Whistler’s elegant portrayal of a London evening, are also available. Nocturne: Blue and Silver – Chelsea 1871 was the first of Whistler’s nocturnes, a series of paintings that convey a sense of the beauty and tranquillity of the River Thames in the evening. Depicting the view from Battersea Bridge looking across the Thames towards Chelsea, the line work and small range of colours in Whistler’s painting reflect the influence of Japanese woodblock artists. James Abbott McNeill Whistler (1834 – 1903) was an American artist based primarily in the United Kingdom. He disliked sentimentality and moral allusion in painting, and was a leading proponent of ‘art for art's sake’. Finding a parallel between painting and music, Whistler titled many of his paintings 'arrangements', 'harmonies', and 'nocturnes', highlighting the importance of tone in both. Whistler’s theories and friendships in the artistic and literary community gave him a lasting influence on the art world and the broader culture of his time.