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 stunning portraits and murals to set design and book illustrations, carrying the essence of the ‘Nonconformist’ 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 in his home at Plas Newydd. This magnificent 57-foot mural was called the “Claudian Fantasy.” “Claudian Fantasy” was one of Whistler’s most outstanding works and is today considered a true masterpiece of art.
John Rex Whistler presents a stunning coastal view in “Claudian Fantasy”, inspired by the wonderful sea and mountains of the Snowdonian region of North Wales. The dark aquamarine blue sea stretches from one side of the mural to the other. Various brown boats and ships of all sizes float in its waters. The sky is painted a light serene blue with fluffy white clouds. The foreground of Rex’s mural depicts a walled coastline with a small harbor smack in the middle. Whistler portrayed a whimsical story of Neptune, the god of the sea, rising out of the waters into the harbor and straight into the room.
He painted wet foot marks on the stony floor of the harbor. There are a number of items scattered on the shoreline wall, such as a fruit basket, a ceramic vase, a bottle, a net, and an anchor, among others. We can also see a crown in the port, supposedly belonging to Neptune. The left shoreline shows a series of tall and prominent Italian buildings in beige. Similar structures can be seen on the island in the center of the mural and the shoreline on the far right. In addition, in the background of the left coast, there are brown hills and beautiful snow-capped mountains. Bright sunbeams form a luminous silhouette above the clouds and snow-capped mountains. The fantastic coloring and intricate details of the painting are absolutely mesmerizing.
Rex Whistler painted a spread of “Caludian Fantasy” on the two adjoining walls of the mural, to give it a unique three-dimensional effect. On the wall to the right, we can see a young man sweeping leaves (which many believe is actually Whistler’s self-portrait) and to the left, he showed a beautiful balcony with the family dogs lying near the steps.
John en Plas Newydd’s “Claudian Fantasy” is an elusive and impressive work. The fact that he produced it simply using his imagination is proof of his artistic ability. The National Trust of UK has acquired the Plas Newydd mansion. They house a large collection of works by John Rex Whistler.
