# Nocturne in Black and Gold: The Falling Rocket

[View the canonical artwork record](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/whistler-james-abbot-mcneill-r70d25e5287b9ca/nocturne-in-black-and-gold-the-falling-rocket-re3c30b88428a1b>)

## Artwork

- Artist: [WHISTLER, James Abbot McNeill](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/whistler-james-abbot-mcneill-r70d25e5287b9ca>)
- Date: 1851-1900
- Technique: Oil on canvas, 60 x 47 cm

## Commentary

In 1875 Whistler painted a firework display in the Cremorne Gardens in London. Exhibited in London in 118175 with the explanatory words The Falling Rocket, and then again in 1877 without that tag, the painting was to incur the criticism of Ruskin, the champion of the Pre-Raphaelites. Whistler brought against Ruskin a trial of the action in 1878. &lt;p&gt; &lt;table align=left cellpadding=5 border=1 width=320 bgcolor=&#34;\#99cccc&#34;&gt; &lt;tr valign=middle&gt;&lt;td&gt;&lt;img src=&#34;/support/gif/listen.gif&#34; border=0 valign=middle&gt; Suggested listening \(streaming mp3, 18 minutes\):&lt;br&gt;&lt;a href=&#34;\#&#34; onClick=&#34;w=window.open \(&#39;/music1/18\_cent/handel\_fireworks.html&#39;, &#39;newWin&#39;, &#39;scrollbars=yes,status=no,dependent=yes,screenX=0,screenY=0,width=350,height=350&#39;\);w.opener=this;w.focus\(\);return true&#34;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Handel: Fireworks Music&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt;

## Related artworks

- [La Piazzetta](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/whistler-james-abbot-mcneill-r70d25e5287b9ca/la-piazzetta-r6bfe1c6bc8dea5>)
- [Lady in Grey](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/whistler-james-abbot-mcneill-r70d25e5287b9ca/lady-in-grey-re02a324eb54155>)
- [Nocturne in Blue and Gold: Old Battersea Bridge](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/whistler-james-abbot-mcneill-r70d25e5287b9ca/nocturne-in-blue-and-gold-old-battersea-bridge-r02adeaa7d31464>)
- [Nocturne: The Thames at Battersea](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/whistler-james-abbot-mcneill-r70d25e5287b9ca/nocturne-the-thames-at-battersea-r01783b85e5fee5>)
- [Rose and Silver: The Princess from the Land of Porcelain](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/whistler-james-abbot-mcneill-r70d25e5287b9ca/rose-and-silver-the-princess-from-the-land-of-porcelain-rfc42bc53120383>)
- [The Artist in His Studio](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/whistler-james-abbot-mcneill-r70d25e5287b9ca/the-artist-in-his-studio-r3b4efcf2621367>)
- [The Artist&#39;s Mother \(detail\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/whistler-james-abbot-mcneill-r70d25e5287b9ca/the-artists-mother-detail-rf75c1b59cc3c6b>)
- [The Artist&#39;s Mother](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/whistler-james-abbot-mcneill-r70d25e5287b9ca/the-artists-mother-r07cf355e035dac>)
- [The Balcony, Variations in Flesh Colour and Green](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/whistler-james-abbot-mcneill-r70d25e5287b9ca/the-balcony-variations-in-flesh-colour-and-green-ra812f04fc1db53>)
- [The Little White Girl: Symphony in White, No. 2](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/whistler-james-abbot-mcneill-r70d25e5287b9ca/the-little-white-girl-symphony-in-white-no-2-r26908d50674ed9>)

## Attribution

[Web Gallery of Art](<https://beta.wga.hu/pages/about>)