After Sargent

John Singer Sargent was one of the foremost portrait artists of the late 19th century. He is best known for capturing the rich and famous across Europe and America. His work stood out for its technical strengths, he was particularly skilful when it came to drawing by brush.

Here is an attempt at one of his paintings: Sargent’s Jacques Barenton. The original is 22.5 * 18 inches, in oils and not quite as rosy cheeked!

I enjoyed creating this piece with its bold painterly marks and am very pleased with the end result which, I’m sure you’ll agree, is pretty charming (until you see the original which is a perfect delight!)

John Singer Sargent The Artist

John Singer Sargent was born in Florence, Italy to American parents on the 12th of January 1856. His parents had moved to Europe after the death of his older sister at the age of two. They remained outside America for the rest of their lives, based in Paris but travelling frequently to other European countries.

This itinerant lifestyle meant John didn’t receive a formal education, they were never in one place long enough. Instead John’s father taught his son as best he could alongside the churches and museums which were an excellent source of scholarship. He was a very accomplished man, playing the piano to a very high standard and was fluent in French, German and Italian.

Both parents had some artistic skill and his mother stoked his creative talents by giving him sketchbooks and encouraging him to draw. Sargent received his first formal art training in Rome in 1868. Then, between 1870 and 1873, he occasionally attended the Accademia delle Belle Arti in Florence. In 1874 he entered the atelier of Emile Auguste Carolus-Duran, a Parisian portraitist, whilst also attending drawing classes at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. His first exhibition at the Paris Salon, a portrait of his friend Fanny Watts, was in 1877. He was just 21.

Sargent’s fame grew rapidly and he received many portrait commissions. His works, including the 1884 portrait of Madame X, were often exhibited at the Salon. The rather negative reception this piece received encouraged him to leave Paris and move to England where he spent the rest of his life (frequent international trips not withstanding).

Sargent created many hundreds of paintings in his lifetime as well as numerous sketches and charcoal drawings. Whilst he is considered the most successful portrait artist of the Edwardian era he also, in his latter years, focused on murals, en plein-air painting and watercolours.

John Singer Sargent died on April 14th 1925.

Famous Paintings

Here are some of his works:

The Daughters Of Edward Darley Boit
This 1882 painting is currently held at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Set in Boit’s Paris apartment it is thought to have been influenced by Diego Velázquez’s Las Meninas.

The Oyster Gatherers of Cancale
This painting of a scene from the beaches of Brittany was created in 1878. It too is held in Boston.

A Morning Walk
Painted in 1888 and currently held in a private collection.

Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose
This charming painting of two little girls lighting paper lanterns was Sargent’s first big success at London’s Royal Academy. Painted in 1885 it is held at Tate Britain.

Portrait of Robert Louis Stevenson and His Wife
In total he painted three portraits of the great Scottish novelist. This 1885 portrait is currently held at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Arkansas.

Portrait of Jacques Barenton
This 1883 portrait of a Parisian boy is held in a private collection. The painting shows young Jacques dressed in a sailor suit with a ribbon in his hair.