Internet Links: Whitmanian Painters
 
 
Since he first published Leaves of Grass in 1855, the vastness of Walt Whitman's poetry has translated into the vastness of his legacy. In this site I explored Whitman's role in the paintings of Thomas Eakins, Vincent Van Gogh, and Joseph Stella. But Whitman's influence on painters does not end there. Below I will provide links to other Whitmanian painters; that is, other prominent painters who have drawn from Whitman's poetry for their art. 
 
 
William Sidney Mount 
William Sidney Mount was the first American-born artist to achieve widespread fame for the depiction of everyday life. Although Mount took his scenes from his hometown of Stony Brook, Long Island, his art transcends the borders of his village and explores the concerns of America during his life. He and Whitman both draw from their native Long Island in their respective art.  Suggested Reading 
  • Matthiessen, F. O. American Renaissance: Art and Expression in the Age of Emerson and Whitman. New York: Oxford University Press, 1941. Pay particular attention to pages 596-601.
 
Charles Sheeler
Charles Sheeler was a painter/photographer who was a major player in the Precisionist movement. The prominent icon of the Precisionist movement was Walt Whitman. Sheeler's paintings of the modern (and technologically driven) world are some of the most important in American art. The important work to look at is Mannahatta, an impressionistic representation of Walt Whitman's lyric hymn to the city.  Suggested Reading   
 
Augustus John 
Augustus Edwin John was a British painter who is actually quoted as saying that he was inspired by Walt Whitman's poetry. In the 1920's, John was the leading portrait painter in Britain, associating with important figures like Thomas Hardy and George Bernard Shaw. John died in 1961. 
 
Jean-Francois Millet 
Jean-Francois Millet was a French painter who is known for his melancholy scenes of peasant labor. It is because of these that he has been considered a social realist. Millet's paintings are noted for their power and simplicity of drawing. His work is well represented in American museums, notably in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Millet was not so much a Whitmanian painter as he was an influence on Whitman.  Suggested Reading 
  • Matthiessen, F. O. American Renaissance: Art and Expression in the Age of Emerson and Whitman. New York: Oxford University Press, 1941. Pay particular attention to pages 602-613.
 
Miscellaneous 
These are sites more concerned about Walt Whitman's role in the visual arts. They are therefore less concentrated on particular painters, but are nonetheless worth looking at. 
Back to Index page: Walt Whitman and the Visual Arts
All links were last updated on May 2, 1999.