Whistler's Mother Gave Birth to Him Today - Born 10 July 1834

and here she is, looking relaxed, a Victorian icon, Whistler's Mother Anna
Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain

While most male artists were busy painting wives, mistresses and pretty models, Whistler (1834-1903) chose to paint his mother.  According to his Wikipedia page, in 1871 Anna modellled for him in Cheyne Walk, in Chelsea. She must have been very proud that her son wanted to preserve her in oils for posterity.

Although - it wasn't quite like that. There is a backstory. An MP had asked Whistler to paint his daughter Maggie Graham, according to mentalfloss.com.  It appears Maggie got fed up, and so Whistler was left with a prepared canvass doing nothing.

So his asked his Mum to sit in. The result has been described as iconic as the Mona Lisa.

The ironic thing about this painting is that it was almost rejected by the Royal Academy in 1872, but ended up being widely admired and feted worldwide, which must have been very satisfying for the artist. Its permanent home, when it's not touring is in the Musee D'Orsay in Paris, France.

Whistler's Wikipedia page quotes the artist after his painting began to attracted attention::

"Just think — to go and look at one's own picture hanging on the walls of Luxembourg — remembering how it had been treated in England — to be met everywhere with deference and respect...and to know that all this is ... a tremendous slap in the face to the Academy and the rest! Really it is like a dream."