Reginald "Rex" John Whistler, born on June 24, 1905, in Eltham, Kent, England, remains one of the most enchanting and tragically short-lived figures in 20th-century British art. A painter, illustrator, muralist, and theatrical designer, Whistler carved a unique niche for himself with a style that was at once nostalgic and refreshingly modern, imbued with wit, elegance, and a profound understanding of historical aesthetics. His life, though cut short at the age of 39 during the Second World War, was extraordinarily productive, leaving behind a legacy of works that continue to captivate and charm.
Early Life and Artistic Awakening
Rex Whistler hailed from a family with artistic inclinations. His maternal great-great-grandfather was Paul Storr, a celebrated silversmith of the Regency era, suggesting an inherited predisposition towards craftsmanship and design. His father, Henry Whistler, was an estate agent and later a dentist. Rex, along with his younger brother Laurence Whistler, who would become a distinguished poet and glass engraver, grew up in an environment that, if not overtly bohemian, was supportive of creative pursuits.
His formal artistic education began at Haileybury College, where his talent was already evident. He initially enrolled at the Royal Academy Schools but found its traditional methods stifling. Dissatisfied, he transferred to the prestigious Slade School of Fine Art at University College London. Here, under the tutelage of influential figures like Professor Henry Tonks, a formidable draughtsman and teacher who also taught artists like Augustus John, William Orpen, and Stanley Spencer, Whistler's prodigious talents truly began to flourish. Tonks recognized Whistler's exceptional abilities, particularly his imaginative power and technical facility. During his time at the Slade, Whistler also developed a deep appreciation for Roman art and architecture, an influence that would subtly permeate his later decorative schemes.
The Tate Murals: A Star is Born
Whistler's breakthrough commission came remarkably early in his career. In 1926, while still a student at the Slade, he was recommended by Henry Tonks for a major project: to decorate the refreshment room at the Tate Gallery (now Tate Britain). The resulting mural, "The Expedition in Pursuit of Rare Meats," completed in 1927, was a triumph. This vast, panoramic narrative, painted directly onto the canvas-lined walls, depicted a fantastical hunting expedition through an imaginary landscape filled with whimsical details, classical ruins, and charming figures.
The mural showcased Whistler's signature blend of 18th-century pastiche, particularly evoking the spirit of artists like Jean-Antoine Watteau and his fêtes galantes, combined with a distinctly modern sensibility and a gentle, pervasive humor. The work was an immediate public and critical success, catapulting the young artist into the limelight. It established him as a leading figure in the revival of decorative mural painting in Britain, a field that had seen less prominence since the grand schemes of Baroque artists like Antonio Verrio or James Thornhill centuries earlier. The mural, however, would later become a subject of controversy due to its depiction of a Black child enslaved and in chains, and caricatured Chinese figures, leading to debates about its place in a modern museum context.
A Flourishing Career in Murals and Portraiture
Following the success of the Tate murals, Whistler became highly sought after for large-scale decorative schemes in private houses and public buildings. He possessed an uncanny ability to transform interiors into immersive, dreamlike environments. One of his most celebrated achievements in this vein is the dining room at Plas Newydd, the Marquess of Anglesey's home in Wales, created between 1936 and 1938. This breathtaking mural is a romanticized seascape, a continuous panorama that creates an illusion of the room opening out onto a vast coastal landscape with Italianate buildings, ships, and distant mountains, all rendered with exquisite detail and a masterful use of trompe-l'oeil.
Other significant mural commissions included work at Port Lympne in Kent for Sir Philip Sassoon, a notable patron of the arts whose circle included artists like John Singer Sargent in earlier years; Mottisfont Abbey in Hampshire for Maud Russell, where he created a stunning Gothick fantasy in the saloon; and Ditchley Park in Oxfordshire for Ronald and Nancy Tree. He also painted a delightful mural for Lady Edwina Mountbatten's luxurious Brook House apartment in London.
Alongside his murals, Whistler was an accomplished portrait painter. He captured the likenesses of many prominent figures of London's high society, often imbuing his subjects with the same elegance and charm that characterized his decorative work. His portraits, while not as formally groundbreaking as those by some of his modernist contemporaries like Wyndham Lewis, possessed a psychological acuity and a refined technique that appealed to his sitters. He was a friend and portraitist of figures like the writer Edith Olivier and the poet Siegfried Sassoon, whose social and artistic circles often overlapped with those of other creatives like Cecil Beaton and Stephen Tennant.
Master of Illustration and Design
Rex Whistler's versatility extended far beyond murals and easel painting. He was a prolific and highly original illustrator, bringing his distinctive style to numerous books. His illustrations for Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels (Cresset Press, 1930) are considered masterpieces of the genre, perfectly capturing the satire and fantasy of the text with intricate line work and imaginative compositions. He also illustrated works such as The New Forget-Me-Not (Cobden Sanderson, 1929), The English Festivals by Laurence Whistler (Heinemann, 1947, published posthumously), and Hans Christian Andersen's The Emperor's New Clothes.
His design talents were also applied to a wide array of other mediums. He created charming and witty designs for Wedgwood ceramics, advertisements for companies like Shell-Mex and Guinness, posters, and even personal bookplates for his friends and patrons. Each of these endeavors bore his unmistakable hallmark of elegance, wit, and a touch of the fantastical. His work in advertising, much like that of contemporaries such as Edward McKnight Kauffer or Tom Purvis, elevated commercial art to a higher aesthetic plane.
Theatrical Enchantment: Stage and Costume Design
The world of theatre provided another perfect outlet for Whistler's imaginative flair and decorative genius. He designed sets and costumes for several notable productions, demonstrating a keen understanding of dramatic effect and period style. His designs for the ballet "The Rake's Progress" (1935), with choreography by Ninette de Valois and music by Gavin Gordon, were particularly acclaimed, vividly bringing Hogarth's world to life with a Whistlerian twist.
He also designed the sets and costumes for a successful 1936 production of Helen Jerome's adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice at the St. James's Theatre, starring Celia Johnson and Hugh Williams. His designs for this production were praised for their historical accuracy and romantic charm, perfectly complementing the spirit of Austen's novel. His work in theatre design can be seen as part of a rich British tradition that included figures like Charles Ricketts and, in Whistler's own time, Oliver Messel, who shared a similar penchant for romantic and elaborate designs.
Artistic Style: A Modern Rococo
Rex Whistler's artistic style is often described as a form of modern Rococo. He drew heavily on the aesthetics of the 18th century, particularly the lightheartedness, elegance, and decorative exuberance of French Rococo painters like Jean-Antoine Watteau, François Boucher, and Jean-Honoré Fragonard. However, his work was not mere pastiche; he infused these historical influences with a distinctly modern sensibility, a subtle wit, and a personal, almost dreamlike quality.
His compositions were often complex and meticulously planned, filled with intricate details and playful allusions. He had a remarkable ability to create a sense of depth and space, particularly in his murals, using trompe-l'oeil techniques to dazzling effect. His color palette was typically refined and harmonious, often employing soft pastels or rich, jewel-like tones. A pervasive sense of romanticism and nostalgia runs through much of his work, yet it is always tempered by his characteristic humor and intelligence, preventing it from becoming overly sentimental. This ability to blend architecture, landscape, and decorative elements into a cohesive and enchanting whole was a hallmark of his genius. While some of his contemporaries were pushing the boundaries of modernism, like Ben Nicholson or Barbara Hepworth, Whistler found his unique voice by looking back and reinterpreting the past with a fresh, contemporary eye.
The War Years and Tragic Demise
With the outbreak of the Second World War, Rex Whistler, despite his established artistic career and pacifist inclinations, felt compelled to contribute to the war effort. In 1940, he joined the Welsh Guards, initially as a Lieutenant. He found military life challenging and often longed for his artistic pursuits, yet he applied himself with dedication and courage. He continued to sketch and paint when possible, producing poignant images of army life and even designing a camouflage scheme for tanks.
His letters from this period, many to his close friend Edith Olivier or his brother Laurence, reveal his anxieties, his humor, and his enduring love for art. He was promoted to the rank of Captain. On July 18, 1944, shortly after the D-Day landings, Captain Rex Whistler was killed in action during the Battle of Normandy, near Caen, France. He had dismounted from his tank to assist another crew when a German mortar bomb exploded nearby. He was just 39 years old. His death was a profound loss to British art, extinguishing a unique and luminous talent in its prime. His body was initially buried where he fell, but he was later re-interred at the Banneville-la-Campagne War Cemetery in Normandy, France. His death was widely reported, with The Times giving it particular prominence, a testament to his standing in the cultural life of Britain.
Legacy and Reappraisal
Despite his tragically short career, Rex Whistler left an indelible mark on British art. His works continue to be admired for their technical brilliance, imaginative power, and enduring charm. His murals, in particular, stand as testaments to his unique vision and his ability to create enchanting, immersive environments. The Salisbury Museum in Wiltshire now holds a significant archive of his work, including paintings, drawings, designs, photographs, and letters, which was acquired in 2015, ensuring his legacy is preserved for future generations.
In recent years, Whistler's work, particularly the Tate mural "The Expedition in Pursuit of Rare Meats," has been subject to critical re-evaluation. The depiction of the enslaved Black child and the caricatured Chinese figures has, quite rightly, drawn criticism for its racist imagery, reflecting problematic colonial attitudes prevalent at the time of its creation. This has led to ongoing discussions at Tate Britain about how to contextualize the mural and address its offensive elements, highlighting the complexities of interpreting historical artworks in contemporary society. This controversy, while challenging, underscores the evolving nature of art historical interpretation and the ways in which societal values shape our understanding of the past.
His brother, Laurence Whistler, became a dedicated custodian of Rex's artistic legacy, writing several books about him and his work, which have been instrumental in keeping his memory alive. Laurence himself became a renowned poet and a pioneer of modern glass engraving, a field in which he achieved great distinction, becoming the first president of the newly formed British Guild of Glass Engravers in 1975. The close bond between the two brothers was a significant aspect of both their lives.
Rex Whistler's art, with its blend of fantasy, elegance, and wit, offers a captivating window into the interwar period in Britain. He was an artist who, while deeply appreciative of the past, created work that was entirely his own, imbued with a timeless appeal. His influence can be seen in the work of later decorative artists and illustrators who value narrative, craftsmanship, and a touch of enchantment. Though his life was brief, the body of work he produced remains a significant and beloved contribution to British art history, a poignant reminder of a brilliant talent lost too soon. His unique ability to weave together historical styles with a modern, personal vision ensures his place as one of the most distinctive and appealing artists of his generation.
