#storybehindtheart
In 1905, John Singer Sargent is an acclaimed artist, whose portraits are in high demand. In this POST, he shares about the Portrait of Madame X, (1884) featuring Amelie Gautreau and Portait of Mrs Swinton (1897), both high society ladies with strong personalities.
The first one was considered scandalous when exhibited at the Salon in Paris in 1884, which led Sargent to leave France and not to exhibit the work before 1905. The second one was very well received. His comment is based on his quote “I only chronicle” and that he painted the surface. The #BlessingoraCurse refers to the quote “each time I paint a portrait, I lose a friend”.
His friend and patron Isabelle Stewart Gardner, comments about his ability to capture the personality of the sitter. The writer Henry James, friend and strong supporter of his work, refers to his own work and his book Portrait of a Lady.
Sources:
Strapless: John Singer Sargent and the Fall of Madame X, Deborah Davis, 2004
John Singer Sargent, Kilmurray and Osmond, 1998
John's Portraits of Ladies, 2018, Acrylic on canvas, 40" x 30" (102 x 76 cm)