Category: John Singer Sargent/Picture and Text (Page 1 of 2)

Through this reading assignment, I was able to learn about the life and accomplishments of John Singer Sargent, a prominent and well-known artist. Born in Florence to American parents, Sargent proved to be a very determined and aspiring young man. Despite his “Baedeker education”, Sargent developed to be a talented individual; He played the piano and learned to speak multiple languages. By the age of 16, Sargent was enrolled in his first formal art training class, and a few months later, was taken to Paris to continue and pursue his talent. Through guidance of many prestigious artists, Sargent quickly grasped the art of painting, and by the age of 20, was already working on building his own artistic career.

What I found so inspiring about Sargent’s biography was how quickly his artistic career evolved, and how distinguished he became at such a young age. Much of his rapid progress was due to his supportive parents, who not only encouraged him to draw, but his father even moved him to Paris (which the article states that it “had become the world’s most powerful magnet for art students”). All that proved to be worthwhile, as Sargent is now to known to have created many acclaimed paintings, murals, and watercolors.

While reading “Picture and Text”, I quickly picked up on how fondly Henry James spoke of John Singer Sargent and of his artwork. He chooses a few of his favorite works of Sargant’s, and shares his thoughts on each piece. When I first opened this document, I went straight to look at the paintings to explore my own understanding of the paintings. The two paintings I was instantly drawn to were “Young Lady in Black” and “Incensing the Veil”.

For “Young Lady in Black” I was struck with (at least what I thought) the contradiction between the subject’s facial expression and the setting of the portrait. On first glimpse, the painting seemed to have an almost “proper” and “royal” aura to it, but her face seemed to depict otherwise. Though she wears a fine outfit and is seen holding a delicate flower, her facial expression (specifically her mouth) and her body position (the arm bent back, rested on her hip) exhibit slight impatience. I would agree most with James when he says that “the face is young, candid, and peculiar”.

When I came upon the painting “Incensing the Veil”, I immediately questioned it. Who is the subject of the painting? What is she doing? Where is she? I wasn’t really able to answer these questions on my own, but I feel somewhat content knowing that James (who has a deep and rich understanding for the arts) is confused as well when he says, “I know not who this stately Mahometan may be, nor in what mysterious domestic or religious rite she may be engaged…”.

Both of these paintings caught my attention because the meaning (or my interpretation of it, at least) was not immediately evident. This intrigued me and drew me in to try and better understand the wonderful paintings that Sargent drew.

There are a plethora of forms of visual art, and within each form there are categories and subcategories that are specialized by the styles and impressions of various artists. For example, John Singer Sargent greatly influenced the art of impressionism through his distinct and powerful technique. According to the essay “John Singer Sargent”, written by H. Barbara Weinberg, Sargent was born to American parents, however, was raised in Europe for the entirety of his childhood. Through the diversity of his specific schooling, Singer discovered an interest in art, and his parents chose to support him in his endeavors to pursue his passion.

Sargent first enrolled in formal art training in Florence, however, was then sent to Paris by his ambitious father. There he studied under the tutelage of Carolus-Duran.

The most information that can be discovered about Sargent as an artist, however, can only be seen through his medium of artwork and artistic style. This is discussed in the essay “Picture and Text”, by Henry James, where various pieces painted by Sargent are analyzed, and  how each of them help expose more about him as an artist is described.

Whilst reading through James’ analysis of Sargent’s portraits and paintings, the concept of impressionism and the description of how Sargent contributed to impressionism struck me. What made Sargent so influential was that his artwork was very specific to himself. Rather than mirroring structure that was taught to him, the way that he painted was distinctly his personality. James wrote that “it is difficult to imagine a young painter less in the dark about his own ideal…” (2). To me, the thought that through expression of one’s true self there is tremendous outcome and, ultimately, success, as seen through the Sargent’s artwork left me with a surprising feeling of inspiration.

Also in James’ essay, the depiction of the process that Sargent uses to express himself through impressionism, to me, added a dimension to the creative process as a whole. James’ wrote that as an artist, the most impressive results come from  when an artist looks “deep into his subject, undergoes it, absorbs it, discovers in it new things that were not on the surface” (11). Therefore, the goal is not to recreate the most realistic portrait, but to inhale the subject with every sense of the body, allow it to evolve within the limits of perception, and portray the resulting visual and emotion through a medium. This idea left me in a deeply pensive state as I wondered how my perception of a subject can evolve within my thoughts to develop dimensions of reality, emotion and personality.

My favorite painting out of those that I experienced in James’ essay was “Incensing the Veil”, an oil painting that depicts a woman in a white robe and veil, with incense at her feet. The setting is mostly white, disregarding the colors of the carpet that the woman is standing on. There is a silent beauty that emanates from the scene. In fact, in his essay, James uses this piece as an example of direct contrast to Sargent’s El Jaleo, a painting depicting a danger surrounded by musicians, that “sins… in the direction of ugliness” (6). The the muted color scheme of the painting embodies a sensation of modesty and pure beauty.

John Singer Sargent to this day maintains a reputation as an artist that influenced art culture through his individual style. The future of his work is greatly anticipated.

John Singer Sargent had a very unorthodox, yet cosmopolitan upbringing; he learned three languages, and was exposed to subjects such as geography, arithmetic and reading. But although his father was his main professor throughout his early education, it was his mother’s proposal for him to draw that led Sargent to become of the world’s most renown artists. From his original training in Paris, to his permanent residence in England, to his intense popularity among the American public, John Singer Sargent immersed himself in a lifestyle that most artists today could only dream of.

Had it not been for his mother’s encouragement, we wouldn’t have been exposed to two of my favorite portraits by Sargent: Madame X and Lady with the Rose. The paintings have many similarities; Both were completed in 1884, the paintings’ main subject is a lady in a black dress, the paintings both host a dull background, and both women are dressed elegantly. But what makes the two paintings stand out are the stark differences in the stories they seem to tell.

At face value, Madame X reminds me of Marilyn Monroe: beautiful, playful, classic. She is facing away from the artist painting her, possibly to reflect an indecisive demeanor. Based on her body language, I would think she has a bubbly personality, someone who would giggle in an uncomfortable situation to lighten the mood. The woman seems to be wearing a very flirtatious dress for 1884, shoulders fully exposed. But oddly enough, it wasn’t what the woman was wearing that sparked controversy among the French public, it was Sargent’s “indifference to conventions of pose, modeling, and treatment of space,” as the article “John Singer Sargent” so eloquently put. She seems to enjoy being painted, standing in a very dramatic pose, contrary to France’s beliefs. The elegance of this woman is unparalleled by the woman in Lady with the Rose. However, the latter gives off a much more interesting personality.

Madame X, 1884

On the opposite side of the spectrum, the woman pictured in Lady with the Rose gives off a no-nonsense glare into her painter’s soul. She reminds me of Whoopi Goldberg: straightforward, opinionated, unrelenting. She seems to have incredible strength and determination and has no time for nonsense. Her arm placed sternly on her hip makes it look like she’s saying “Are you finished yet? I’ve got things to do.” In “Picture and Text,” Henry James highlights the woman’s “arm somewhat extended, offer[ing] to view a single white flower.” The flower seems somewhat forced upon her, pinched between her fingers as if it were some sort of disease. I believe this flower represents her opposing views on the societal norms of how a female should behave in 1884. She seems to have no fear of repercussions in stating an opinion and she doesn’t need a man to keep her satisfied. She resembles a completely different character than the woman in Madame X, and to me, a much more interesting one.

Lady with a Rose, 1884

Even besides these two portraits, after reading about and viewing his other works in “Picture and Text,” I admire Sargent’s ability to capture real and raw emotion within a canvas. His simplicity and candid expression make his work both enjoyable yet though-provoking. The article “John Singer Sargent” assures the reader that he had many, many American fans, and after browsing through his work for the first time, I can assure you that he has gained one more.

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.

Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once stated, “those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.” This quote emphasizes the truth that everyday beauty is often overlooked and is rejected by those who can appreciate it.

John Singer Sargent is one of many realist artists during the 19^th and 20^th centuries. Realism was an art movement defined by realistic depictions rather than an idealized image. It is important to note that Sargent stood outside the crowd by not solely drawing aristocrats, Sargent dedicated as much energy and skills to works of the lay man and even the poor as he did to nobles.

This focus on the everyday beauty of everyday people is superb. There are several examples of this in Sargent’s works. However, from my perspective, I find his 1887 painting, Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose, is the best example.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s online page on Sargent does a fantastic job of explaining the work’s history. “Sargent’s most ambitious Broadway canvas was the ravishing Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose (Tate Britain, London). The painting’s display at the Royal Academy in 1887 assuaged the doubts of English critics, and its acquisition for the British nation augured well for his career in London.”

Essentially,  Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose is the painting, along with Portrait of Madame X, which cemented Sargent’s notoriety in art history. Finally, when viewing Sargent’s paints, such as Carnation, Lily, Lily Rose, it is important to look past the immediate visuals that jump out. As Henry James’s “Picture and Text” points out, “Putting aside the question of the subject (and to a great portrait a common sitter will doubtless not always contribute), the highest result is achieved when to this element of quick perception a certain faculty of brooding reflection is added. ” The contrast of the colors in the painting are exquisite. The realistic nature of the painting makes the view feel as if they are viewing it in person. Perhaps, we will never know what was running through Sargent’s mind while he was painting, but it is important to contemplate what he may have been thinking. I would argue he was appreciating the beauty he was creating similarly to how we are.

John Singer Sargent was born in Europe and had lived there most of his life. However his parents are American. So what is he really? European or American? In my opinion, he is both European and American. I was born in Hong Kong. However I moved to the United States for about 12 years. But I consider myself both Chinese and American. I never saw the point in making a specific distinction. Living in U.S. most of my life doesn’t make me any less of a Chinese. Being born in China doesn’t make me any less proud of being an American. It doesn’t really matter what John Singer Sargent is, other than the fact that he is a really talented impressionist.

While reading the “Picture and Text” essay by Henry James, I had to stop to look up what is impressionism. According to Dictionary.com, impressionism is “a style of painting developed in the last third of the 19th century, characterized chiefly by short brushstrokes of bright colors in immediate juxtaposition to represent the effect of light on objects.”.  After understanding what impressionism is, I find that it is much easier to interpret and admire Sargent’s art. 

Let’s look at Sargent’s “El Jaleo” (1882) for example. After knowing the definition of impressionism, I took more notice of the juxtaposition of the color between shadow and light. Although the dancer is stand in front, the shadow that surrounds her makes her less of the center of attention. The bright light around the background dancers and musicians make them more conspicuous. The arms raised background dancers look cheerful and deep into the moment. The audience in the back with head thrown back is enjoying every moment of this festivity.

Next up, “The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit” (1882). This is by far my favorite painting by Sargent. Although the two girls is in the dark and far away, they are hard to miss. Their matching white dresses make them stand out against their dark background. They are positioned in the center of the painting, although far away. One facing away showing us only her profile, while the other is facing straight towards us. The little girl on the left of the painting staring towards us with one foot forward looking like she wants to come closer but is too shy to do so. The toddler sitting on the floor is holding her doll for comfort. All of which makes me wonder what are they thinking at this moment, what are they looking at, and what is their story. I enjoy the curiosity this painting brought to me.

Analyzing the different paintings made me understand why Sargent is known as the “recruit of high value to the camp of the Impressionist” to Henry James.

The essay on “John Singer Sargent” originally did not resinate or interest me. However, after learning about his most famous oil painting, Madame X , and the controversy behind that portrait, I began to ponder on why there was such negative feed back on the painting. Thus, I began to observe the famous portrait myself. In my first encounter with the portrait, I immediately noticed that the portrait gave off a very realistic presence.  The portrait seemed as if it were a snapshot of a women in a distracted state. In addition, I also noticed the apparent contrast between the women’s snowy white skin and her revealing black night gown. The overall shadowed background also emphasized her already pale skin. Lastly, I noticed Sargent included a deep neckline and sharp profile features in his portrait of the women. Based on the observations I made, I came up with the theory that the reason why some many people perceived the portrait negatively was because the women in the portrait eluded with confidence and an unprecedented aura of sexuality loomed around her.  I hypothesize that the confidence that the women in the portrait had fueled negative reactions, because the confidence I saw may have had transformed into arrogance in the eyes of others. The people in the late nineteenth century probably  did not see arrogance as a positive trait, thus resulting in the portrait’s controversy.  The low-cut, thinly strapped dress also played a part in the portraits controversy because many saw it as scandalous, especially since in the original Madame X sketch the strap was  dropping off her shoulder. I believe the sexuality in this portrait was new to the people of that period. As a result it was rejected as a new style of art since sexualizing women in art was viewed as offensive. It is usually easier for the people to despise and reject something then for them to except it, just like it was easier for people to reject homosexuality than for them to accept it.

In regards to John Singer Sargent as an artist, I agree with the author of “Picture and Text”  that he is an bold and articulate artist. When I look at the portraits that Sargent has painted I think he captures the character of each person in his paintings very well. For example, from Sargent’s Doctor Pozzi painting, I get the feeling that Dr. Pozzi is a person of high status because of his attire, but he does not seem hard to approach. I also get the impression that Dr. Pozzi is a confident person, but not to the point where he seems obnoxious or cocky. In another one of Sargent’s works, Lady Play Fair , I get the impression that the woman in the portrait is proud of who she is, my guess is that she is house wife. From the portrait I imagine that she is also a well-mannered and educated lady. The ability of Sargent to present these human traits in a simple painting amazes me. It is  also a mystery of how and what combination of techniques Sargent uses to achieve this effect on its audience. I wonder what mysterious message I would would convey if I had my portrait painted by Sargent.

I learned much about a renowned American artist by the name of John Singer Sargent. Although he was born in Italy, his family was originally from New England and along with his mother they returned in 1876. Hitherto unfamiliar to me,Singer Sargent accomplished many great things throughout his life. Some of these things included beautiful paintings consisting of portraits, murals, and water paintings. He did a remarkable job at diversifying his work of arts with numerous different cultures. This could attributed to his many travels throughout Europe including cities in Spain, London, and even Paris.

Reading about the life of Singer Sargent has taught that painting isn’t as simple as it seems. I requires years of learning, practice, and apprenticing. In addition to that you need to travel around the world to learn from past generations of art to gather ideas and the need knowledge to create new pieces. He dedicated his whole life to art and that is something to be admired.

The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit is favorite painting of Singer Sargent’s. I love it for many reasons but mainly because of its simplicity. At a quick glance, one might be fooled that there’s not much to this picture, yet it’s so elegant and sophisticated. Further analyzing this picture you could see that there’s much more meaning to this picture than just four sisters in a room. Just by the way they are drawn you could predict their personalities, the way they treat each other, and the way they live their lives. Nothing like a painting that holds the potential to tell you more than words could.