John Singer Sargent 🖼️ Éblouir Paris

 If you want to draw ✍️ like John Singer Sargent, get tracing paper & make copies. 

It’s like walking in Sargent’s shoes 👞 

 John Singer Sargent - Dazzling Paris exhibition opened at d’Orsay this week.

I was there ASAP 👍 It continues till 11 January, 2025.

Even if you saw FASHION BY SARGENT at the London Tate & Boston museum,

This exhibits focus is on Sargent’s early years 

Salon portrait of Carolus-Duran by SARGENT from Great Art Explained.

As an 18 year old student in Carolus-Duran’s  atelier in 1874,

And as a successful society portrait painter in Paris till 1884.

Can we ever see too much Sargent?

Sargent’s mastery and prodigious talent will remain a mystery.

But first some background - Sargent’s mother, Mary Newbold Sargent was an American eccentric heiress, 

She dragged her family on ‘The Grand Tour’ around Europe, in a nomadic jaunt.

from Great Art Explained.

John and his sister, Emily visited every museum,

And sketched ✍️ every monument beside their mother, an amateur watercolorist.

From Great Art Explained.

John, born in Florence, Italy in 1856, was fluent, multi-lingual 

and played the piano beautifully, so he was ready to enter Paris society, the perfect ex-pat. Sargent’s portrait of his teacher, Carolus-Duran (see above) was his first entry to the Paris Salon  It was met with immediate applause.

From Great Art Explained.

Among the 100s of Sargent videos out there, everything I learned of value came from James Payne - Great Art Explained.

But the two most controversial Sargent portraits show up mid-way in the Orsay exhibit, sharing the same room.

Madame X was sought out by Sargent and not a portrait commission. 

He pursued the Creole beauty, Virginie  Amélie Avegno Gautreau age 23 from New Orleans, married to a wealthy French man twice her age. 

From Great Art Explained

Sargent chose the gown and tortured both of them with endless poses over 60 sittings. Virginie was not a cooperative sitter.

As his entry to the 1864 Paris Salon, the painting caused a furor of abuse. i.e. the title ‘ Madame X’. 

Virginie’s mother insisted Sargent repaint the fallen shoulder strap, which he did immediately, but damage to both their reputations was a fait à complet.

 

To boot, the family refused to buy the portrait. 

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF MADAME X?

Sargent packed up and moved to London,

The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit

 In London he rebuilt his portrait reputation to new heights. 

*You can read about Dr Pozzi, ‘The Love ❤️ Doctor’ here.

I was smitten by these intimate dinner scenes of Sargent’s and the piles of that red garnet color he adored.

Another - the red lampshades blush the sitter’s face. The silver candlesticks and wine decanter are painted so economically yet glitter like stars. You barely notice her companion on the edge of the canvas.

Included, a small selection of exquisite landscapes. 

100 paintings in all. A very rich show not to be missed.

Outside Paris when it drizzles…