Framed The White Girl, Symphony in White No. 1, by James McNeill Whistler

The White Girl (Symphony in White, No. 1) by James McNeill Whistler, painted in 1862, depicts a young woman—Joanna Hiffernan—standing in a white dress on a wolf skin rug, holding a white lily, with a pale curtain as backdrop. Though its imagery suggests themes of innocence or purity, Whistler insisted it had no narrative meaning, focusing instead on the visual harmony of whites and subtle tones. Rejected by the Royal Academy but shown at the 1863 Salon des Refusés in Paris, the painting challenged academic norms and marked a pivotal moment in the rise of the Aesthetic Movement, emphasizing “art for art’s sake.”