John Singer Sargent (January 12, 1856 – April 14, 1925) Made by Tsebenko Anastasia

Born January 12, 1856) Florence, Italy Florence Italy Florence ItalyDied April 14, 1925 (aged 69) London, England London England London England National ity American American (United States) American FieldPainting

► John Singer Sargent (January 12, 1856 – April 14, 1925) was an American painter, and a leading portrait painter of his era.During his career, he created roughly 900 oil paintings and more than 2,000 watercolors, as well as countless sketches and charcoal drawings. American ► His oeuvre documents worldwide travel, from Venice to the Tyrol, Corfu, the Middle East, Montana, Maine, and Florida.

► Though his father was a patient teacher of basic subjects, young Sargent was a child, more interested in outdoor activities than his studies. As his father wrote home, “He is quite a close observer of animated nature.” ► Contrary to his father, his mother was quite convinced that traveling around Europe, visiting museums and churches, would give young Sargent a satisfactory education. She was a fine amateur artist and his father was a skilled medical illustrator. ► Early on, she gave him sketchbooks and encouraged drawing excursions. Young Sargent worked with care on his drawings, and he enthusiastically copied images from the Illustrated London News of ships and made detailed sketches of landscapes. FitzWilliam had hoped that his son’s interest in ships and the sea might lead him toward a naval career.

► At thirteen, his mother reported that John “sketches quite nicely, & has a remarkably quick and correct eye. If we could afford to give him really good lessons, he would soon be quite a little artist.”

At age thirteen, he received some watercolor lessons from Carl Welsch, a German landscape painter.Though his education was far from complete, Sargent grew up to be a highly literate and cosmopolitan young man, accomplished in art, music, and literature.

► In 1879, at age 23, Sargent painted a portrait of teacher Carolus-Duran; the virtuoso effort met with public approval, and announced the direction his mature work would take. Its showing at the Paris Salon was both a tribute to his teacher and an advertisement for portrait commissions. Paris SalonParis Salon

► In the early 1880s Sargent regularly exhibited portraits at the Salon, and these were mostly full-length portrayals of women, such as Madame Edouard Pailleron in 1880 (done en plein-air) and Madame Ramón Subercaseaux in He continued to receive positive critical notice.

► His most controversial work, Portrait of Madame X (Madame Pierre Gautreau), done in 1884, is now considered one of his best works, and was the artist's personal favorite. (He stated in 1915, “I suppose it is the best thing I have done.”). Portrait of Madame X Portrait of Madame X

► During Sargent's long career, he painted more than 2,000 watercolors, roving from the English countryside to Venice to the Tyrol, Corfu, the Middle East, Montana, Maine, and Florida, and each destination offered pictorial stimulation and treasure. ► Even at his leisure, in escaping the pressures of the portrait studio, he painted with restless intensity, often painting from morning until night.

"Gondoliers' Siesta", c. 1904