James A. McNeill Whistler

The 2-cent Famous American Artists stamp issued September 5, 1940, features James A. McNeill Whistler (1834–1903). Surely Whistler's most famous painting is Arrangement in Grey and Black: Portrait of the Painter's Mother, familiarly known as Whistler's Mother. This painting was the subject of the Mothers of America stamp of 1934. Whistler's style was subtle, often producing what he called "arrangements" or "nocturnes" in just two colors. Better known works include At the Piano, Symphony in White, No.1: The White Girl, and his principal effort in decorative art, Peacock Room.