Whistler's Mother returns to London after decades as restorer reveals painting's secrets

James Abbott McNeill Whistler's 'Arrangement in Grey and Black No 1', universally known as 'Whistler's Mother', is returning to London for the first time in nearly two generations as part of Tate Britain's upcoming Whistler exhibition. The painting, created in 1871 in Whistler's Chelsea studio when his 15-year-old model fled and his mother Anna stepped in, has become America's equivalent of the Mona Lisa. The work's restorer, who spent months examining every inch of the canvas, writes about Whistler's brilliance while lamenting his use of cheap paint. Whistler himself once remarked, 'One does like to make one's mummy just as nice as possible.' The painting has been continuously traveling across US and international museums for over 150 years. Its return to London this month marks a significant cultural event, as the city where it was painted has not hosted the masterpiece in decades.