Portraits John Singer Sargent

john singer sargent in studio portrait of madame x, c. 1885

in 1880s sargent regularly exhibited portraits @ salon, , these full-length portrayals of women, such madame edouard pailleron (1880) (done en plein-air) , madame ramón subercaseaux (1881). continued receive positive critical notice.

sargent s best portraits reveal individuality , personality of sitters; ardent admirers think matched in velázquez, 1 of sargent s great influences. spanish master s spell apparent in sargent s daughters of edward darley boit, 1882, haunting interior echoes velázquez s las meninas. in many of portraits, sargent confidently tries different approaches each new challenge, here employing both unusual composition , lighting striking effect. 1 of exhibited , best loved works of 1880s lady rose (1882), portrait of charlotte burckhardt, close friend , possible romantic attachment.

portrait of madame x 1884

his controversial work, portrait of madame x (madame pierre gautreau) (1884) considered 1 of best works, , artist s personal favorite; stated in 1915, suppose best thing have done. when unveiled in paris @ 1884 salon, aroused such negative reaction prompted sargent s move london. sargent s self-confidence had led him attempt risque experiment in portraiture—but time unexpectedly back-fired. painting not commissioned , pursued opportunity, quite unlike of portrait work clients sought him out. sargent wrote mutual acquaintance:

i have great desire paint portrait , have reason think allow , waiting propose homage beauty. ...you might tell man of prodigious talent.

it took on year complete painting. first version of portrait of madame gautreau, famously plunging neckline, white-powdered skin, , arrogantly cocked head, featured intentionally suggestive off-the-shoulder dress strap, on right side only, made overall effect more daring , sensual. sargent repainted strap expected over-the-shoulder position try dampen furor, damage had been done. french commissions dried , told friend edmund gosse in 1885 contemplated giving painting music or business.

writing of reaction of visitors, judith gautier observed:

is woman? chimera, figure of unicorn rearing on heraldic coat of arms or perhaps work of oriental decorative artist whom human form forbidden , who, wishing reminded of woman, has drawn delicious arabesque? no, none of these things, rather precise image of modern woman scrupulously drawn painter master of art.

prior madame x scandal of 1884, sargent had painted exotic beauties such rosina ferrara of capri, , spanish expatriate model carmela bertagna, earlier pictures had not been intended broad public reception. sargent kept painting prominently displayed in london studio until sold metropolitan museum of art in 1916 after moving united states, , few months after gautreau s death.

before arriving in england, sargent began sending paintings exhibition @ royal academy. these included portraits of dr. pozzi @ home (1881), flamboyant essay in red , first full-length male portrait, , more traditional mrs. henry white (1883). ensuing portrait commissions encouraged sargent complete move london in 1886. notwithstanding madame x scandal, had considered moving london 1882; had been urged repeatedly new friend, novelist henry james. in retrospect transfer london may seen have been inevitable.

english critics not warm @ first, faulting sargent clever frenchified handling of paint. 1 reviewer seeing portrait of mrs. henry white described technique hard , metallic no taste in expression, air, or modeling. mrs. white, however, sargent gained admiration of english patrons , critics. henry james gave artist push best of ability.

sargent spent time painting outdoors in english countryside when not in studio. on visit monet @ giverny in 1885, sargent painted 1 of impressionistic portraits, of monet @ work painting outdoors new bride nearby. sargent not thought of impressionist painter, used impressionistic techniques great effect. claude monet painting @ edge of wood rendered in own version of impressionist style. in 1880s, attended impressionist exhibitions , began paint outdoors in plein-air manner after visit monet. sargent purchased 4 monet works personal collection during time.

sargent inspired portrait of artist friend paul césar helleu, painting outdoors wife side. photograph similar painting suggests sargent used photography aid composition. through helleu, sargent met , painted famed french sculptor auguste rodin in 1884, rather somber portrait reminiscent of works thomas eakins. although british critics classified sargent in impressionist camp, french impressionists thought otherwise. monet later stated, not impressionist in sense use word, under influence of carolus-duran.

lady agnew of lochnaw, 1893, national galleries of scotland

sargent s first major success @ royal academy came in 1887, enthusiastic response carnation, lily, lily, rose, large piece, painted on site, of 2 young girls lighting lanterns in english garden in broadway in cotswolds. painting purchased tate gallery.

his first trip new york , boston professional artist in 1887–88 produced on twenty important commissions, including portraits of isabella stewart gardner, famed boston art patron. portrait of mrs. adrian iselin, wife of new york businessman, revealed character in 1 of insightful works. in boston, sargent honored first solo exhibition, presented twenty-two of paintings. here became friends painter dennis miller bunker traveled england in summer of 1888 paint him en plein air , subject of sargents painting dennis miller bunker painting @ calcot 1888.

back in london, sargent busy again. working methods well-established, following many of steps employed other master portrait painters before him. after securing commission through negotiations carried out, sargent visit client s home see painting hang. review client s wardrobe pick suitable attire. portraits done in client s home, more in studio, well-stocked furniture , background materials chose proper effect. required 8 ten sittings clients, although try capture face in 1 sitting. kept pleasant conversation , take break , play piano sitter. sargent seldom used pencil or oil sketches, , instead laid down oil paint directly. finally, select appropriate frame.

sargent had no assistants; handled tasks, such preparing canvases, varnishing painting, arranging photography, shipping, , documentation. commanded $5,000 per portrait, or $130,000 in current dollars. american clients traveled london @ own expense have sargent paint portrait.

morning walk, 1888, private collection

around 1890, sargent painted 2 daring non-commissioned portraits show pieces—one of actress ellen terry lady macbeth , 1 of popular spanish dancer la carmencita. sargent elected associate of royal academy, , made full member 3 years later. in 1890s, averaged fourteen portrait commissions per year, none more beautiful genteel lady agnew of lochnaw, 1892. portrait of mrs. hugh hammersley (mrs. hugh hammersley, 1892) equally received lively depiction of 1 of london s notable hostesses. portrait painter in grand manner, sargent had unmatched success; portrayed subjects @ once ennobled , possessed of nervous energy. sargent referred van dyck of our times. although sargent american expatriate, returned united states many times, answer demand commissioned portraits.

sargent painted series of 3 portraits of robert louis stevenson. second, portrait of robert louis stevenson , wife (1885), 1 of best known. completed portraits of 2 u.s. presidents: theodore roosevelt , woodrow wilson.

asher wertheimer, wealthy jewish art dealer living in london, commissioned sargent series of dozen portraits of family, artist s largest commission single patron. paintings reveal pleasant familiarity between artist , subjects. wertheimer bequeathed of paintings national gallery. in 1888, sargent released portrait of alice vanderbilt shepard, great-granddaughter of cornelius vanderbilt. many of important works in museums in united states. in 1897, friend sponsored famous portrait in oil of mr. , mrs. i. n. phelps stokes, sargent, wedding gift.

twentieth century portraits

sargent emphasized almina wertheimer s exotic beauty in 1908 dressing en turquerie.

by 1900, sargent @ height of fame. cartoonist max beerbohm completed 1 of seventeen caricatures of sargent, making well-known public artist s paunchy physique. although in forties, sargent began travel more , devote relatively less time portrait painting. interior in venice (1900), portrait of 4 members of curtis family in elegant palatial home, palazzo barbaro, resounding success. but, whistler did not approve of looseness of sargent s brushwork, summed smudge everywhere. 1 of sargent s last major portraits in bravura style of lord ribblesdale, in 1902, finely attired in elegant hunting uniform. between 1900 , 1907, sargent continued high productivity, included, in addition dozens of oil portraits, hundreds of portrait drawings @ $400 each.

in 1907, @ age of fifty-one, sargent officially closed studio. relieved, stated, painting portrait quite amusing if 1 not forced talk while working…what nuisance having entertain sitter , happy when 1 feels wretched. in same year, sargent painted modest , serious self-portrait, last, celebrated self-portrait collection of uffizi gallery in florence, italy.

as sargent wearied of portraiture pursued architectural , landscapes subjects . during visit rome in 1906 sargent made oil painting , several pencil sketches of exterior staircase , balustrade in front of church of saints dominic , sixtus, church of pontifical university of saint thomas aquinas, angelicum. double staircase built in 1654 design of architect , sculptor orazio torriani (fl.1602–1657). in 1907 wrote: did in rome study of magnificent curved staircase , balustrade, leading grand facade reduce millionaire worm.... painting hangs @ ashmolean museum @ oxford university , pencil sketches in collection of harvard university art collection of fogg museum. sargent later used architectural features of stair , balustrade in portrait of charles william eliot, president of harvard university 1869 1909.

sargent s fame still considerable , museums eagerly bought works. year declined knighthood , decided instead keep american citizenship. 1907 on, sargent largely forsook portrait painting , focused on landscapes in later years. made numerous visits united states in last decade of life, including stay of 2 full years 1915 1917.

by time sargent finished portrait of john d. rockefeller in 1917, critics began consign him masters of past, brilliant ambassador between patrons , posterity. modernists treated him more harshly, considering him out of touch reality of american life , emerging artistic trends including cubism , futurism. sargent quietly accepted criticism, refused alter negative opinions of modern art. retorted, ingres, raphael , el greco, these admirations, these like. in 1925, before died, sargent painted last oil portrait, canvas of grace curzon, marchioness curzon of kedleston. painting purchased in 1936 currier museum of art, on display.