I personally have never heard of John Singer Sargent before reading about him and his artworks. John Sargent was raised with an extraordinary background. He studied German, Italian, and French, as well as a broad range of subjects. John Sargent was an accomplished pianist but his roots in the art of drawing came from his mother. His father sought to nourish Sargent’s talents and sent him to study under Carolus-Duran, whom Sargents soon became the protege of. Known as an “American” artist, I believe that Sargent is far from being an American artist. His origin is tied to mainly European countries as well as where his drawing style originates from.
His most well known painting “Madam X” is closely associated with the “French style” of painting. Sargent gained notoriety from his style of painting. Madam X was created on no commission and embodied the art styles of various artists including, Velázquez, and Edouard Manet. Madam X received more ridicule than praise due to Sargents daring portrayal of the women’s personal style. I see Madam X as an exquisite painting that depicts the personality of the sitter. His painting captures my attention with his bold and precise colors that emphasize her features. From head to toe, Sargent includes minute details that captivates observers. Madam X’s face for example makes one wonder what she may be thinking about, where she is looking, and etc, arousing curiosity in the observer. I believe that Sargents painting, “Madam X” was created during a more conservative period and therefore was not as well accepted, but at the same time gained the fame for it because of its bold style.
Madame X(1884)
Another one of John Singer Sargent’s painting that appealed to me would be ” The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit.”
This painting consists of half portrait, of the girls, and half interior picture. Sargents unique depiction of the girls shows a setting that creates a story behind each girl as well as the picture in the whole. This painting shows a range of shapes and proportions that give off a bewildered feeling to the painting. For example the girls being compared to the huge vase makes them seem smaller and more insignificant. In general this painting is a different and unique style that John portrays once again along with his other paintings.
I agree with you in that he was not an American artist. As far as I am concerned, even though his family dates back to New England and has for generations been considered American, his place of birth and upbringing simply add to the idea that he is of foreign descent. His artwork, in my opinion, places even more emphasis on this fact.
This was extremely well put! I enjoyed your analysis from both an artistic and historical point of view.
I also agree with your notion that he was not an American painter. Even though he was chastised by the French for Madame X, both his education and artistic style are primarily French.
I didn’t put a lot of thought into Sargent’s identity as an American artist, but after reading your response I would also agree with you. It would be true to say that Sargent is ethnically American. However, I feel as though his cultural background and his artistic style is indicative of European influence only.
As for “Madame X”, I completely agree with your analysis of the style. Each feature of the woman is clearly emphasized by dramatically contrasting colors and precise lines. The fairness of her skin tone is almost completely opposite of the color of her dress, which appears to add drama and boldness to the piece as a whole.
I enjoyed reading your analysis of Madam X, as there was a lot that I agreed with. When looking at the portrait, I also felt focused on the personality of the sitter… Its almost as though you could “see” the depth and strength of her character. There is so much unknown regarding her facial expression, leaving the observer with many questions as you suggested. The details, too, are critical in capturing the observer, and I think Sargent does a great job at that.
I found your analysis on the social acceptance of Madam X particularly engaging. Whereas today wearing a dress such as hers would be nothing out of the ordinary, during a more conservative time, it must have caused an uproar. It goes to show how over time, society’s standards of what is and isn’t acceptable is constantly changing. In a certain sense, I feel like the notoriety of this painting actually helped it be seen by more people. Sometimes, fame is fame regardless of whether or not it is good or bad and so I’m sure that Sargent didn’t regret his bold choices.