Art Appreciation Notes of 1 May 2015 meeting Subject: Present: Bill Mercer, Heather Paul, Jacqueline Woodford, Joan Connell, Julia Jacklin, Kathleen Platts, Marylyn Day, Maureen Sleigh, Pat Phillips, Patricia Berrey, Tina Brown, Carol Iles, Peter Bowtell Apologies: Maureen Cotton, Maureen Craft, Pam Gower Slide Notes 1 John Singer Sargent 12 January 1856 – 14 April 1925 A brief review of the National Portrait Gallery Exhibition, Sargent: Portraits of Artists and Friends, Feb – May 2015 Brief History of the Artist: Sargent’s father Fitzwilliam, an eye surgeon in Philadelphia, USA from 1844-54 John’s sister died when two. John’s mother Mary suffered a breakdown as a result. The couple decided to go to Europe to recuperate. They travelled all over France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy John was born in Florence, Italy The family lived modestly on savings and inheritance. They tended to avoid society specially American ones 2 Childhood: John was a boisterous child with more interest in outdoor activities than his studies. His father wrote home "He is quite a close observer of animated nature. “ He received no formal schooling. His interests in painting may have been derived from his mother who was an amateur artist and father who was an accomplished medical illustrator. In his youth he copied images from “The Illustrated News” of ships and made detailed sketches of landscapes. When 13, his mother was quoted to say he "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 the age of 13, he learnt to use watercolours from Carl Welsch, a German landscape painter. He became highly literate and cosmopolitan young man, accomplished in art, music, and literature. He was fluent in French, Italian, and German. 3 http://goo.gl/KR687J An Out-of-Doors Study depicting Paul César Helleu sketching with his wife Alice Guérin, 1889, Brooklyn Museum Artistic Development: In 1874 he passed the rigorous exam and gained an admission to the École des Beaux-Arts, Studied with Carolus-Duran, a young French Portrait artist. His method was to paint alla prima (meaning first attempt) i.e. directly on the canvas with a loaded brush, a method attributed to Diego Velázquez. Whilst in Paris, he came across American artists working abroad and made friend with landscape artist Paul César Helleu. He had an opportunity to meet other artists like Degas, Rodin, Monet, and Whistler. His early interest was in landscape paintings but Carolus-Duran’s influence prevailed. At that time portrait painting was considered easier to promote your career, exhibit at salons and earn good money from rich patrons. 4 http://goo.gl/K4eMWh Portrait Painting: His first Portrait - Frances Sherborne Ridley Watts (Fanny Watts), 1877, Philadelphia Museum of Art – not in the exhibition 5 http://goo.gl/3XCNko Exhibition Paintings: The following slides show some of the portraits on display at the Gallery. The first one to greet you is this one of the artist’s teacher, Carolus-Duran. He sat for this portrait in 1879 and it was exhibited at the Paris Salon and was well received. 6 http://goo.gl/q40S1d Louis de Fourcard, 1884, Musée d'Orsay, Paris Professor of arts at École des Beaux-Arts, an art critic, historian, poet, musician, and musicologist. An influential figure in Paris. Fourcard and Sargent shared musical interests. 7 http://goo.gl/uv3IF8 Portrait of French writer Édouard Pailleron (1834-1899) Painted in 1879 and located in Palace de Versailles, France. Pailleron was a bohemian writer, shown here holding a dog-eared book in his right hand to indicate his profession. 8 http://goo.gl/PTkIFd Madame Marie Édouard Pailleron 1879, The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington DC Commissioned after her husband’s portrait. Sargent has given the subject en plein air. Exhibited at Salon in 1880 rather than of her husband. 9 http://goo.gl/lVjjBM Edouard and Marie Louise Pailleron 1881, Des Moines Art Center (United States) Children of Edouard & Marie Pailleron. Sargent’s first double portrait. Note exotic Persian carpet, Marie-Louise’s torque bracelet and brooch, her white dress, looking pale while her brother guarded and serious. It took 83 sittings to complete this portrait according to the diary of one of the children. 10 http://goo.gl/cf7IJk Dr Pozzi at Home 1881, Armand Hammer Museum of Art and Cultural Centre, Los Angeles, USA Samuel-Jean Pozzi – French gynaecolgist. Sargent portrayed him in an ecclesiastical mode dressed in a costume of old popes and cardinals. Sargent’s first work exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1882. 11 http://goo.gl/MbRVMq Ramón Subercaseaux in a Gondola c. 1880, Dixon Gallery and Garden, Memphis, Tennessee Chilean Consul – a friend of Sargent – also an artist with keen interest in art world. Subject is holding a sketch-book and a box of watercolours indicating his artistic interests. Appears to be incomplete. 12 http://goo.gl/Fj36sy Ralph Curtis on the Beach at Scheveningen, 1880, High Museum of Art, Atlanta, Georgia Sargent & Curtis were second cousins. Curtis was also a portrait painter and he travelled with Sargent to see Dutch works by Frans Hals in Haarlem, Holland when Sargent painted this. 13 http://goo.gl/Jb4Mek Charles Stuart Forbes c. 1882 or c. 1889, Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery San Marino, California Fellow American student at Carolus-Duran studio Like Sargent born in Europe 14 http://goo.gl/ENBzjq Albert de Belleroche c. 1883, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center Fellow student at Carolus-Duran studio. Subject is wearing a tunic with a square-cut neckline. Sargent kept this painting in his possession all his life and was hung in the dining room of his house in Tite Street in Chelsea. 15 http://goo.gl/UkY0Xi François Flameng and Paul Helleu c. 1880, Private collection Both of them are French artists. Sargent association with Flameng is little known but he was a close friend of Paul. Composition is odd, Flameng is looking at us whilst Paul is in profile, and probably an idea from Hal’s painting of Banquet of Officers… we studied earlier. 16 http://goo.gl/uUnr3m Auguste Rodin 1884, Musée Rodin, Paris In 1884, Sargent and Rodin were invited to the Salon des Vingt in to exhibit their works and they became friends. That same year, the painter executed this portrait of Rodin. Rodin was supposed to have sculpted Sargent’s head but it was probably not completed. 17 http://goo.gl/AdV884 Madame Allouard-Jouan c. 1882, Musée du Petit Palais, Paris Emma-Marie Allouard-Jouan was an author, journalist and well connected with the art and political worlds. Exhibited at Georges Petit’s Gallery in 1882. 18 http://goo.gl/Adp0Ts Vernon Lee, 1881, Tate Childhood friend, neighbours when their families lived in Nice Well known for her books on Italian Renaissance art Signed as “Violet” Paget, Vernon Lee is a pseudonym adopted for her literary works. Her pseudonym and her dress for the portrait may express her sexuality 19 http://goo.gl/do5ad7 Judith Gautier c. 1883, Detroit Institute of Arts Gautier translated Chinese and Japanese texts Wrote important reviews of Sargent’s work She was last love of Richard Wagner Chinese or Japanese style dress? 20 http://goo.gl/mxkb49 Rehearsal of the Pasdeloup Orchestra at the Cirque d'Hiver about 1879–80, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Quite a small canvas, 57 x 46 cm Cirque d’Hiver is a small amphitheatre in 11th Arrondissement of Paris Jules Etienne Pasdeloup was the conductor, a champion of modern works like Wagner’s Sargent, who was also a keen musician, often attended his concerts. 21 http://goo.gl/7IC8WT Portrait of Jacques-Emile Blanche c. 1886, Musée des Beaux-Arts – Rouen, Normandy Blanche – a landscape and portrait artist – his style is a cross between Degas & Manet A cosmopolitan figure in France and England 22 http://goo.gl/rTrL00 c. 1887, National Academy Museum, NY Strict & simple profile probably painted in Giverny, France whilst visiting Monet with Rodin. Sargent collected several works by Monet 23 http://goo.gl/eTV5W8 Ernest-Ange Duez c. 1884, The Montclair Art Museum, New Jersey Mass of pale blue hydrangeas behind the head Given to Duez in exchange for Duez’s own study of Blue Hydrangeas by Sea - not able to find it on web – may be in private collection “I also recommend especially a lovely Monet seascape and a pastel study of hydrangeas by Ernest- Ange Duez. The latter provides an object lesson for young artists in subtle use of pale blues to create light and space.” (from The Spectator Archive on the review of Exhibition on Impressionist Drawings at Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, till 20 April 1986) 24 http://goo.gl/kshMgS Fête Familiale (The Birthday Party) c. 1885, The Minneapolis Institute of Arts French artist Albert Besnard, his wife Charlotte Dubray (Sculptress) and their son Robert. Child and Mother are illuminated by the light whilst father is almost faceless in the background. 25 http://goo.gl/scyhT5 Le verre de porto (The glass of port), 1884, The Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco Edith Vickers at a dining table in her home, Lavington Rectory, Beechwood, Sussex. Her husband Albert is partially seen on the right. 26 http://goo.gl/X39I71 Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose 1885–6, Tate Sargent, on a boating trip on Thames, show this scene of two girls lighting paper lanterns among lilies and roses at dusk. So he decided paint that scene. Models are daughters of the illustrator Frederick Barnard. Painted in en plein impressionist manner but actually over 3 months in evenings to ensure exact lighting conditions he needed. Completed in 1886. 27 http://goo.gl/VGnmkY Edmund Gosse 1886, Leeds University Library Historian, translator and critic Henry James asked Gosse to support Sargent’s introduction to Savile Club in London. 28 http://goo.gl/FH7Lyo Mrs Frederick Barnard, 1885, Tate Wife of painter and illustrator Fredrick Barnard We saw their daughters in two slides ago. Painted in 1885 but dress style is older 1830’s Sargent was trying to show effects of warm glow of artificial light on white dress 29 http://goo.gl/miv9u6 Claude Monet, Painting, by the edge of a wood, c. 1885, Tate This sketch of Monet remained with Sargent till death. It illustrates Monet’s idea of working outdoors in the spirit of . 30 http://goo.gl/ZsxRSl Mrs Frank Millet, 1885-86 Private Collection Lily Millet, wife of American artist Frank Millet. After several attempts he produced this final image 31 http://goo.gl/syX4yv Dennis Miller Bunker Painting at Calcot, 1888, Terra Museum of American Art, Evanston Illinois Bunker standing near a river Person sitting at the bank is probably Sargent’s sister Violet Subject is standing casually with one hand in pocket and looking at the canvas suggesting uncertainty and lacking confidence 32 http://goo.gl/TsVgVQ Robert Louis Stevenson and His Wife, 1885,Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas Painted in Stevenson’s house in Skerryvore, Bournemouth. Sargent painted 3 portraits of Stevenson. First one is lost now. Subject is nervous, walking about and talking whilst wife Fanny is incidental and on edge of the painting. Sargent had used similar compositions in several of his paintings. Gloomy view through the door way in the middle probably reflecting author’s deep imaginations. 33 http://goo.gl/3hlKuC Robert Louis Stevenson, 1887, The Taft Museum, Cincinnati Third of Stevenson's painting, again painted in the writer’s home. Here he is shown seated, composed and at the centre of the canvas. 34 http://goo.gl/tG9FGO Robert Louis Stevenson, 1887, The Taft Museum, Cincinnati Third of Stevenson's painting, again painted in the writer’s home. Here he is shown seated, composed and at the centre of the canvas. 35 http://goo.gl/hUnQOz La Carmencita, 1890, musée d'Orsay, Paris, France Sargent may have met this Spanish gypsy dancer in Paris. He persuaded her to sit for this painting with great difficulty because of her high ebullience and restlessness. Face rendered almost white and mask-like Arched eyebrows and flower in the head suggesting pride 36 http://goo.gl/kdTSeo Charles Martin Loeffler, 1903 Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston Violinist and composer, born in Alsace, moved to Boston and became the assistant concertmaster of Boston Symphony Orchestra. 37 http://goo.gl/2lYNsC Edwin Booth, 1890, Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth, Texas Shakesperean actor in New York Did not enjoy posing for Sargent. Told a friend that he was disappointed with his painting then Sargent blanked out the face and repainted it which met with great approval 38 http://goo.gl/ZxQ04N Ada Rehan, 1894-95, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Delia Crehan was born in Limerick, Ireland Moved to America and appeared on stage at 16 Her name was mis-printed as “Ada C Rehan” on theatre bill and it remained stuck throughout her life. Sargent included Rehan's opulent costume and accessories and the highly decorative tapestry in the background. 39 http://goo.gl/GFQyzK Gabriel Fauré, 1889, Musée de la musique, Paris Composer not universally admired at the time but strongly supported by Sargent. Among his best- known works are his Pavane, Requiem, and nocturnes for piano "Après un rêve" and "Clair de lune". 40 http://goo.gl/uUhQVu George Henschel, 1889, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentoville, Arkansas Pianist, Baritone singer, first conductor of Boston Symphony Orchestra, also conducted Royal Scottish National Orchestra. 41 http://goo.gl/CvP3G2 A Javanese Dancing Girl, 1889, Private Collection A member of troupe of dancers performing at the Exposition Universelle, Paris, 1889 Sargent was captivated by the dancers and painted about 4 versions of them. 42 http://goo.gl/189axh W. Graham Robertson, 1894, Tate Dressed in elegant chesterfield coat, cane and poodle as a companion shows Robertson as a man of age at 28. Artist and illustrator of children books, designer of stage sets and costumes for Sarah Bernhardt and Ellen Terry Robertson queried about wearing the overcoat in summer and Sargent replied “but the coat is the picture”. This painting was used as a jacket illustration for The Picture of Dorian Gray – nobody remains youthful! 43 http://goo.gl/rViJq9 Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth, 1889, Tate Terry played this role in Henry Irving’s production in 1888. Sargent invented this pose showing Terry putting a crown on her head after the murder of Duncan. 44 http://goo.gl/BgdppF Eleanora Duse, c. 1893 Herta and Paul Amir Collection Italian actress born in northern Italy, leading star in Naples, became international celebrity playing romantic and realist roles. On the day arranged to paint, she arrived at noon. In less than an hour, she stood up and said, "Je vous souhaite de vivre mille ans et d'avoir la gloire et beaucoup d'enfants, mais au revoir," (May you live a thousand years and have the glory and many children, but goodbye) whereupon she walked out and he never saw her again. Sargent was astounded and told this episodes several times to his friends In that short sitting he managed to show her personality and charisma quite well. 45 http://goo.gl/wgrK4J Coventry Kersey Deighton Patmore, 1894 National Portrait Gallery Poet Lean figure with firm set of head and long neck, receding hairline with white hair, penetrating gaze give quite a forceful character and intellect to the subject in spite of his gentler qualities. 46 http://goo.gl/YM7jBN Asher Wetheimer, 1897-98, Tate Leading London art dealer Sargent gives the sitter an air of shrewdness, quietly confident and humorous. Note the pinkish-blue lolling tongue of the poodle, bottom left, brings what is otherwise a more or less monochrome portrait to life. Obviously pleased with this portrait, Wetheimer commissioned Sargent 11 more works of his family and children. 47 http://goo.gl/jYv4nw Mrs George Batten singing, 1897 As Mabel Veronica Hatch married the private secretary of British Viceroy. Foremost mezzo-soprano of her time when she returned to London. Lover of Prince of Wales but better known for her relationship with a lady friend and author Radclyffe Hall 48 http://goo.gl/1mWpHG Self-portrait, 1906, Uffizi Galery, Florence In the famous gallery of Vasari Corridor, amongst many portraits of famous painters since Renaissance times - certainly a mark of distinction to be asked to add his own. 49 http://goo.gl/KQdFBQ Henry James, 1913, National Portrait Gallery, London Close friends for over 40 years Reserved, secretive and enigmatic pose. Sargent was asked by a committee of novelist’s friends to paint James to celebrate his 70th birthday. Sargent had stopped portraiture painting for past 3 or 4 years and he was quoted to be quite nervous about this commission. James quoted on this portrait: “Sargent at his very best and poor old H J not at his worst; in short a living breathing likeness and a masterpiece of painting” 50 http://goo.gl/B5D3Hn Few examples of pencil charcoal works on paper Dame Ethel Mary Smyth, 1901, National Portrait Gallery, London Black chalk on paper Composer and feminist, champion of women’s rights, prominent in suffrage movement Daughter of British Major-General, who opposed her taking up music at Leipzig 51 http://goo.gl/atHKMQ William Butler Yeats, 1908, Private Collection Charcoal on paper Poet, dramatist and Nobel prize winner Born in Dublin, heavily involved in Irish politics and Irish National Literary Society Portrait was commissioned for the front cover of his first volume of Collected Poems 52 http://goo.gl/WKhT0O Harley Granville-Barker, 1900 National Portrait Gallery Charcoal on paper Actor, producer, dramatist and critic. 53 http://goo.gl/uEUeTk In the Generalife, 1912, Metropolitan Museum of art Watercolour, wax crayon, and graphite on white wove paper, painted in Moorish gardens of Generalife, Granada, Spain Sargent sister Emily with her artist friend Jane de Glehn behind her and Spanish travelling companion Dolores Carmona 54 http://goo.gl/RcwFje Sketching on the Giudecca, Venice, 1904, National Museum of Wales Artist honeymoon couple Wilfrid & Jane de Glehn in a gondola in Canale della Giudecca, the wide canal south of the main Venice island. Sargent is in the gondola in front of them. Husband is sketching and wife, dressed in white, is watching him. 55 http://goo.gl/TigQwo An Artist in his Studio, c. 1904, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Ambrogio Raffele, Italian landscape and figurative artist, is shown in his hotel bedroom painting from a sketch rather than out-of-doors. “The pictorial challenge of painting white on white is one Sargent particularly enjoyed; he handled it here with an extraordinary display of brilliant brushwork.” (mfa.org/collections) 56 http://goo.gl/Gn5zm4 Group with Parasols, c. 1904-05, Private Collection – sold for $23.5 M at Sotheby's a year ago. Sargent’s friends in Alpine meadow. A siesta scene. l-to-r Dos Palmer, Lillian Mellor, and brothers Leonard Lawrence Harrison. 57 http://goo.gl/a1wDes The Master and his Pupils, 1914, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Alpine scene near Tyrol, Italy. The master is real but other “pupils” have been brought in to complete the pastoral scene. 58 http://goo.gl/ODwem5 Villa Torre Galli: The Loggia, 1910, Private Collection Artists friends Richmond and Wilfrid de Glehn at work with either their wives or Sargent’s sister Emily. Exhibited in RA in 1911. 59 http://goo.gl/Muhccr Francisco Bernareggi, 1908 Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City Argentinian painter living in Majorca Sargent has captured his youth, charm and liveliness by setting his face in background full of gold and white brushstrokes 60 http://goo.gl/LZEL3r The Fountain, Villa Torlonia, Frascati, Italy, 1907, The Art Institute of Chicago Artist Jane de Glehn shown painting whilst her husband watching her work Jane described the work as a “most amusing and killingly funny picture” in a letter to her sister Lydia. She continued: “I am all in white with a white painting blouse and a pale blue veil around my hat. I look rather like a pierrot (funny character with white face in comic dramas), but have a rather worried expression as every painter should who isn’t a perfect fool, says Sargent. Wilfrid is in short sleeves, very idle and good for nothing, and our heads come against the great ‘panache’ of the fountain.” 61 http://goo.gl/RsTbQU In the Garden, Corfu, 1909 Private Collection Jane de Glehn in white blouse and light blue skirt. Sargent brought the skirt specially for the purpose of painting. Sargent explored the light and shades in the folds of the skirt using variety of colours. The other person in the scene may be Emily, Sargent’s sister, or Eliza Wedgewood who were in the party visiting Corfu in autumn of 1909. 63 Sargent, a lifelong bachelor, died in England on 14th April 1925 of heart disease aged 69. He left behind a legacy of over 900 oil paintings as well as his watercolours and countless sketches and charcoal drawings. A more comprehensive study of Sargent’s work was presented by Pam on 6 June 2014. I will re-send its notes along with notes on today’s presentation by email to you soon. 62 Here are links to some of the reviews of the exhibition in daily newspapers and magazines. http://goo.gl/2Wx3Nr Telegraph “The secret life of John Singer Sargent, Why do Sargent's best portraits have a whiff of danger about them?” http://goo.gl/aGvCHQ - Sargent and Sea scenes http://goo.gl/bHBVQJ - The Independent review of one of his paintings of World War I Gassed (1919) http://goo.gl/iNd7FP – Spectator – “he was so good he should have been better” http://gu.com/p/45ax8/sbl – Guardian “How John Singer Sargent made a scene? Often derided as staidly traditional, John Singer Sargent in fact provided a glimpse of the modern world.” http://gu.com/p/45khd/sbl – Guardian article on the exhibition summarising it as “easily mistaken for a conservative throwback, Sargent’s portraits in fact are daring, haunting and astonishing”. Bibliography: Trevor Fairbrother, “John Singer Sargent: The Sensualist”, 2000, Yale University Press