Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse—though their styles may differ significantly, these world-renowned artists have one thing in common: none of them were American. In fact, we rarely hear of very many well-known artists who originate from the U.S., which the article “Picture and Text” by Henry James points out. John Singer Sargent is seemingly American because of his origins. However, this so-called ‘American’ artist, who was born of American parents, and though is American by ethnicity, cannot be called an American. He is, in fact, a man of European origin. He was born and raised in Europe and his artistic style can be mistaken for distinctly Parisian, so much so that, according to H. Barbara Weinberg, even the British of his time period thought his work was the work of a Frenchman.
Sargent nevertheless truly produced some incredible and thought-provoking pieces of art. Henry James points this out in “Picture and Text”. Many of the women he painted seemed completely different than our image of the ‘usual’ painted female. I feel that many women who are painted in a Victorian time period are all seen as the same thing: delicate, soft-spoken, pleasant, and beautiful. Though many of these qualities are seen in these paintings, there seems to be another common thread throughout Sargent’s works: many of the women seem candid, as if posing for a picture. The actual paintings even look like photos. The contrast in brushwork between the background and the dresses and faces of women he painted is truly iconic. One painting in particular that caught my eye was Lady With the Rose (pictured left).
If one focuses on the background, it seems almost rushed and as if paint was simply splattered on the canvas in a haphazard fashion, yet it gives off the texture of a rough and sturdy material. However, it is clear that the background is painted this way because of the beautiful nature of the main focus of the work: the woman in black. The sheer lace detailing at the sleeves and neck of her gown seem almost invisible, but if one looks hard enough, it seems to cast a slight shadow over the skin underneath. The crinkling of the gown seems picturesque, and her slight, wry smile and tired eyes seem to reveal this woman’s identity. Since we know nothing about her, we could speculate about her stern, almost bored look for hours.
Another image that made me question whether these were truly paintings or rather simply photos was Lady Playfair (pictured right).
The background is plain, similar to the previous painting, but the main focus, again, is the woman, which the background is clearly meant to highlight. Certain parts of her metallic-looking, silk-like dress are illuminated very brightly while other parts are dark. This is clearly the artist playing with a strong light source in order to accurately portray the texture and material of her gown. Her bows dangle in a very feminine and delicate fashion, and the dimple in her elbow makes her seem undeniably tangible, as if her story can truly be pictured simply because of the artist’s attention to detail.
His biography by H. Barbara Weinberg does not agree with Henry James. Weinberg states that his lineage is distinctly American, even though he lived all his life in Europe. His artwork, though in my opinion not that of an American artist, is nevertheless extraordinary.
I really like your comments on “Lady With the Rose.” I never really considered that a “rushed” looked could be used in a positive frame. Perhaps, Sargent purposely rushed the background in order to focus on the main focus of the painting, the woman. It is quite hard to determine whether or not this style was or was not intentional.
I think your analysis of the paintings are detailed in that you were able to capture certain things that I wasn’t able to when I was analyzing the paintings. And i completely agree that Sargent’s art style was not american in many was but I am still awed by the way she is able to capture the emotion and realness of the person or object in whatever he is painting. I like to call the effect that Sargent’s paintings have on its viewers the ‘Sargent Effective.’ I think the effect is sometimes hard to grasp, but it is definitely there.
I think your point on a lack of renowned American artists is interesting considering Americans (especially in the late 1800s and early 1900s) had such an appreciation for art. It was a very captivating start to your post!
I especially liked your opinion on Lady with a Rose. I had the same reaction when I saw her: someone who was tough and had a very thick skin. It certainly contrasted with the very simple and elegant outfit she was wearing. Additionally, the bored demeanor she possessed was palpable, as you said in your post.
Your analysis of the artwork is very descriptive, detailed, and well worded. I enjoyed your analysis of “Young Lady in Black”, as I also agree that the background gives off a “rushed” impression, allowing the observer to focus more on the subject of the portrait. There is something very candid about her look and I think you are right when you say that she has this “bored look for hours”. I wouldn’t really be able to know if that’s what the subject or the painter intended, but thinking in that way gives the artwork a sense of reality… that sitting for paintings isn’t all that easy.