Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Art 2 - Blog 6 - oil portrait

John Singer Sargent (January 12, 1856 – April 14, 1925) was an American artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Edwardian era luxury. During his career, he created roughly 900 oil paintings and more than 2,000 watercolors, as well as countless sketches and charcoal drawings. His oeuvre documents worldwide travel, from Venice to the Tyrol, Corfu, the Middle East, Montana, Maine, and Florida.
His parents were American, but he was trained in Paris prior to moving to London. Sargent enjoyed international acclaim as a portrait painter, although not without controversy and some critical reservation; an early submission to the Paris Salon, his "Portrait of Madame X", was intended to consolidate his position as a society painter, but it resulted in scandal instead. From the beginning his work was characterized by remarkable technical facility, particularly in his ability to draw with a brush, which in later years inspired admiration as well as criticism for a supposed superficiality. His commissioned works were consistent with the grand manner of portraiture, while his informal studies and landscape paintings displayed a familiarity with Impressionism. In later life Sargent expressed ambivalence about the restrictions of formal portrait work, and devoted much of his energy to mural painting and working en plein air. He lived most of his life in Europe.
File:Caspar Goodrich - John Singer Sargent.jpg

John Singer Sargent Lady Agnew of Lochnaw

Madame X is below.

11 comments:

  1. I really like how the portrait Madame X has so much brown in it, but there are many different shades to bring contrast.
    Jessica Smith

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  2. I read more about why the Madame X portrait was a scandal and it was simply because one strap had fallen off her shoulder. It was to "revealing" and so he had to repaint the strap.
    McKenzie Peterson

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  3. it's amazing how much detila he doesn't miss when he paints. I have so much respect for artists who draw human beings. even annalee!! -lauren lowery

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  4. I like the boy he was probably a winner and I wonder how long he would have had to pose for that I hope Sargent wasn't a slow painter.

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  5. the shadowing on these paintings is unreal, i wish i could paint like that! it's hard to believe that someone can paint a painting that looks so 3-Dish... and thanks lauren hehe;) - annalee appling

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  6. I don't understand how people can paint like this... like how? its insane! -Martha Shiver

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  7. they look so realistic! -sara lynn slagle

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