hiː pɚsˈɪstᵻd, haʊˈɛvɚ, ænd lˈeɪɾɚ pɹədˈuːst ɐ sˈɪɹiz ʌv pˈoːɹtɹɪts ɪnspˈaɪɚd baɪ ðə wˈɜːk ʌv dʒˈeɪmz mək nˈiːl wˈɪslɚ.
He persisted, however, and later produced a series of portraits inspired by the work of James McNeill Whistler.