Whistler Expert to Speak at Restoration Appeal Launch
Raising funds for repair of recently vandalised tomb in Chiswick Old Cemetery
Left: James McNeill Whistler. Right: 'Whistler's mother'
October 27, 2026
The Friends of St Nicholas Church will host a special talk by Professor Daniel Sutherland — one of the world’s leading authorities on the Victorian artist James McNeill Whistler — to St Nicholas Church, Chiswick.
The event is being held in association with the Old Chiswick Protection Society and the Whistler Society, and comes at a significant moment for local heritage. Whistler and his wife Beatrix are buried in Chiswick Old Cemetery, where their tomb has recently suffered from vandalism. During the evening, organisers will provide an update on proposals to restore the monument and launch a public appeal to raise the funds needed for the work.
Professor Sutherland, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Arkansas, is the author of several major Whistler biographies, including A Life for Art’s Sake, Whistler’s Mother, and his newly published Whistler’s Legacy. His visit follows a year in which Whistler’s work has been the focus of a major exhibition at Tate Britain, renewing public interest in the artist’s life, influence and London connections.
The talk will take place at St Nicholas Church, Chiswick, (W4 2PJ) on Thursday 19 November at 7pm.
Tickets are £10 on the door, £5 for students, and free for under-18s and members of the Friends of St Nicholas.
A pay bar will be available, and all proceeds will support the restoration of Whistler’s tomb.
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