Sargent's Portriats

John Singer Sargent was one of the most well-known portraitists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Much of his work focused on women of high class in England and America. Although he was not well-received in the beginning, Sargent gained a reputation as one of the leading portrait painters of his time. Sergeant’s portraits display the elegance, extravagance, and pleasure of high class society through details of attire and poise. The viewer is able to see several of Sargent’s works displayed next to each other in order to compare and contrast the display of high class women of his time. A portrait by Ingre is also shown as a comparison with other portraits of aristocrats from the 19th century. 

Madame X, John Singer Sargent, 1883-84, Oil on canvas, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

“I suppose it is the best thing I have done.” This was Sargent’s remark after selling Madame X to the Metropolitan museum. At its first showing at the Paris Salon of 1884, Sargent’s Madame X was not well-received. It was taken with ridicule and considered scandalous. The poise and self-display, as well as the attire of Gautreau, put a woman of high class and ideal beauty on display. Originally, the strap of the dress was shown falling off the shoulder, however, Sargent later went back and re-painted the strap on. He asked that the woman’s name be kept in disguise, and called the portrait Madame X.  

Joséphine-Éléonore-Marie-Pauline de Galard de Brassac de Béarn, Jean-August-Dominique Ingres, 1851-53, Oil on canvas, The Metropolitan Museum of Art 

Ingres was a French neoclassical painter, well known for painting portraits of aristocrats. This portrait of Pauline displays Ingres skill with portraying personality and material. The woman is dressed in a blue, satin ball gown. The material is smooth and shiny. She rests upon a golden upholstered chair. Ingres shows her shy and reserved personality through her facial expression. This painting was commissioned by her husband, who hung it in his home after her death. 

Madame Gautreau Drinking A Toast, John Singer Sargent, 1882-83, Oil on canvas, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum 

This is a portrait of Madame Gautreau that was painted a year prior to Madame X. The painting displays a much more candid moment of Sargent’s notorious sitter, stretching out her arm and making a toast. It is small and intimate; different from most of the portraits we have seen by Sargent. A year later, Sargent painted Madame X, a much more lavish and sensuous depiction of Gautreau. The portrait displays the side profile of Madame Geatreau, just like we see in Madame X.

Judith Gautier, John Singer Sargent, 1885, Oil on canvas, Detroit Institute of Arts

This portrait displays Judith Gautier, an esteemed Chinese and Japanese text translator. Early on in Sargent’s career, Gautier followed and wrote reviews on his works and exhibitions, emphasizing his great artistic personality. Sargent painted this portrait, alongside several others, as a gift for Gautier. It displays her dressed in a long, white robe, standing next to her piano in a dark room. The white of her robe and the moody background create a dramatic contrast that highlights her beauty. 

Mrs. Hugh Hammersley, John Singer Sargent, 1892, Oil on canvas, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The portrait of Mrs. Hugh Hammersley was first shown at New Gallery in London, 1893. Portrait of a banker's wife, the painting displays a woman of class and wealth. The woman is shown dressed in a vibrantly colored velvet dress with gold trim, sitting with poise and elegance. Her arm rests on a French couch behind her. This portrait was received positively at it’s exhibition, changing the poor view that many held of Sargent.

Mrs. Joshua Montgomery Sears, John Singer Sargent, 1899, Oil on canvas, The Museum of Fine Art, Houston

This portrait depicts lifelong friend of Sargent’s, Mrs. Joshua Montgomery Sears, who was a photographer in Boston. This is one of Sargent’s later portraits, after he became a leading portraitist in England and America. The elegant texture and white lavender hue of her dress displays Sargent’s skill in painting elegance and dash -- a skill that he developed and became well-known for. The white of her dress contrasts with the dark background, emphasizing the woman's beauty.