| Timeline |
| 1834 |
Born in Lowell, Massachusetts on 11 July |
| 1843 |
Attends drawing lessons at the Imperial Academy of Science, St. Petersburg, Russia. |
| 1849 |
Father dies, family moves to CT. |
| 1851 |
Enters West Point, military academy |
| 1854 |
Flunks out of the military academy at West Point |
| 1855 |
Leaves for Paris |
| 1856 |
Enters Gleyre's studio in Paris |
| 1858 |
Tours Alsace-Lorraine and the Rhineland |
| 1859 |
Settles in London |
| 1866 |
Travels to to South America, observes war against Spain |
| 1879 |
Declares bankruptcy |
| 1884 |
Invited to become a member of the Society of British Artists |
| 1886 |
Elected President of the Society of British Artists |
| 1888 |
Marries the widow Mrs. Beatrice Godwin |
| 1892 |
Awarded Légion d'Honneur |
| 1892 |
The Whistlers move to Paris |
| 1896 |
Beatrice dies |
| 1898 |
Elected President of the International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers |
| 1903 |
Dies 17 July
|
