Episode 1 of 1
Libel Trial Verdict
- When
- 25–26 November 1878
- Where
- High Court of Justice
Whistler won nominal damages of a farthing in his libel suit against Ruskin, leading to financial ruin.
The trial was heard on November 25 and 26, 1878, ending with Whistler awarded only a farthing. This nominal victory was disastrous for Whistler, who was bankrupted by May 1879. The costs forced an auction of his work, collections, and house, alienating patrons.
Sources
- Nocturne in Black and Gold – The Falling Rocket Wikipedia, revision of 2026-05-22
- James McNeill Whistler Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-05
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.