Reginald John ‘Rex’ Whistler or Rex Whistler or John Whistler (1905-1944) was a brilliant British artist, designer, and illustrator. His talents ranged from painting astounding portraits and murals to stage designing and book illustrations, carrying the essence of ‘Non-conformist’ and ‘Baroque Revival’ style. In 1936, Sir Charles Paget (the 6th Marquess of Anglesey) commissioned John Whistler to create a mural for the dining room of his home at Plas Newydd. This magnificent 57-foot mural was called “Claudian Fantasy.” “Claudian Fantasy” was one of Whistler’s most prominent works and is considered today to be a true art masterpiece.
John Rex Whistler presents a stunning coastal view in “Claudian Fantasy,” which was inspired by the wonderful sea and the mountains of the Snowdonian region in North Wales. Dark aqua blue sea extends from one side of the mural to the other. A number of brown boats and ships of all sizes are floating in its waters. The sky is painted a light serene blue with fluffy white clouds. The foreground of Rex’s mural depicts a stonewalled shoreline with a small port right at the center. Whistler portrayed a whimsical story of Neptune, the Sea God, rising from the waters into the harbor and walking straight into the room.
He painted wet marks of feet on the stony ground of the port. There are a number of items scattered on the shoreline wall, such as a basket of fruit, a ceramic vase, a bottle, net, and an anchor amongst others. We can also see a crown on the port, supposedly belonging to Neptune. The left coastline depicts a number of prominent tall Italian buildings in beige. Similar structures can be seen on the island in the far center of the mural and the coast on the far right. Further, in the background of the left coastline, there are brown hills and beautiful snow capped mountains. Shimmering sunrays form a luminous silhouette over the clouds and snow covered mountains. The fantastical coloring and intricate detailing of the painting is utterly mesmerizing.
Rex Whistler painted an extension of “Caludian Fantasy” on both the adjoining walls of the mural, to give it a unique three-dimensional effect. On the right wall, we can see a young man sweeping leaves, (which many believe is actually a self-portrait of Whistler and to the left; he displayed a lovely balcony with the family’s dogs sprawled near the steps.
John’s “Claudian Fantasy” at Plas Newydd is an elusive and breathtaking piece of work. The fact that he produced it by merely using his imagination is a proof of his skillful artistry. The National trust of UK has acquired the Plas Newydd mansion. They house a large collection of John Rex Whistler’s works.
https://ezinearticles.com/?His-Most-Famous-Painting-(Claudian-Fantasy)—John-Rex-Whistler&id=2646776 by Annette Labedzki