Who was Whistler’s Woman in White?

Published 8 March 2022

Take a tour of the exhibition ‘Whistler’s Woman in White: Joanna Hiffernan’ with its curators, and delve into the life of the artist’s principal model.

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    Many of James McNeill Whistler’s works feature the red-haired figure of Joanna Hiffernan. Her close professional and personal relationship with the artist lasted for two decades, yet little about her role or influence in his life has been explored – until now.

    Watch curators Ann Dumas and Margaret MacDonald talk about the show, Joanna’s life and the exhibition’s showstopper Symphony in White No.1.

    • James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Symphony in White, No. 1: The White Girl (detail)

      Visit our five-star exhibition

      Joanna Hiffernan’s relationship with Whistler ran deeper than artist and muse. In this rich exhibition we explore her life and role as a friend, model, lover and collaborator.