John Singer Sargent

by Clare Gibson

Throughout his career, John Singer Sargent was both exalted and vilified. Sargent was often shunned by influential members of the art world, among them Camille Pissaro who dismissed Sargent's work and deemed him a mere "performer". This volume gives art enthusiasts, unbiased by ideology and petty jealousies, the opportunity to judge Sargent's talent for themselves.
Although now best-known for his remarkable portraits, Sargent's critics claimed they were only "art applied to social requirements and social ambition." It is certainly true that the rich and famous of the late 19th-century sought Sargent's talent.
Sargent's portrayal of society matrons, debutantes, millionaires and politicians from both sides of the Atlantic exhibit a startling ability to capture the personality of his sitter. His less formal portraits are a record of famous writers and artists of the time: Henry James, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Claude Monet were best friends and subjects.

Genres: Art History, Art

128 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997