Whistler was one of the most prolific, diverse and popular artists of the interwar years in England. Known for his wit and humour, he was equally talented in a wide variety of pursuits--as an illustrator, muralist, designer for the performing arts and painter in oils; few artists have excelled in as many oeuvres.
He studied at the Slade School of Art under Professor Henry Tonks and upon leaving became a professional artist. His most noted early work was the mural for the restaurant at the Tate Gallery (1926-7). Its success guaranteed a series of private and commercial commissions. Leading artists, authors and socialites of the day were friends and admirers of his work.
Rex joined the Welsh Guards in May 1940. He was sent to Normandy following the D-Day Landings and was killed on his first day in action. His untimely death curtailed an exceptional career - a tragic end to a talent whose art defined the era between the wars.
The Rex Whistler archive is pivotal to any assessment of Rex as an artist. It contains the remains of his studio, which he left with his close friend Edith Olivier when he volunteered for service in 1939. After his death the archive was passed to his brother Laurence Whistler (1912-2000), who proceeded to collect everything to do with him, both personal and professional.
The archive covers the full range of his artistic output, from casual drawings to commercial designs. It contains at least 1,000 individual items, including sketchbooks, proposals, designs, working drawings, book illustrations, juvenilia and war diaries. It also contains many items that he would not have expected others to see, including intimate correspondence with some of his closest friends. Few artists have been actively collected, curated and commemorated by a close family member in this way. Therefore it is a rare and unique portrait, providing a personal insight into the life of a brilliant British artist.