Book Description
From 1874 to 1882, John Singer Sargent (1856–1925) produced more than 200 paintings and water-colors aside from portraiture, including figures in landscape settings, architectural studies, seascapes, subject paintings, and studies after old masters. From powerful studies of models in Paris in the mid-1870s to compelling paintings set in Venice in the early 1880s, the works published in this volume of the catalogue raisonné show the variety of his aesthetic responses. He worked in the studio and en plein air, travelling widely during the eight years covered in this volume and painting in Paris, Brittany, Capri, Spain, North Africa, and Venice.
This is the first time that Sargent’s early work has been mapped so comprehensively. With very few exceptions, this beautifully produced book illustrates all the pictures under discussion in color. Each painting, including several which have never been published before, is documented in depth with full provenance, exhibition history, and bibliography, and in many cases new information is provided. The volume also reproduces a wealth of Sargent’s preliminary and related drawings and of comparative works by other artists.
Customer Reviews:
Awesome Selection of Sargent's Work.......2007-07-20
The color reproductions are awesome. This books is a collection of Sargent's less known work which is refreshing. Some oils are not as polished as the more well known work which helps to show his technique in early stages---a plus to serious professionals and students. To me, this book provided a wealth of visual clues to understanding his thought process and technical principles. The writing, however, is the typical stuff used to fill most coffee table books. No insight whatsoever into Sargent's painting principles, tonal procedures or color palette. The author obviously knows little in that regard but there is so much information out there the text could have been more illuminating. Buy it for the reproduction quality and awesome collection of works. Worth every penny in that regard.
John Singer Sargent: Figures and Landscapes, 1874-1882; Complete Paintings: Volume IV(Complete Paintings).......2007-05-20
Still waiting for the delivery of Sargent's Figures and Landscapes. It was ordered on 4/14. Hope it will be delivered soon.
Deirdre Dunne
many obscure paintings.......2007-03-28
i was very pleasantly surprised to see so many Sargent paintigs and drawings i had never seen before. Some quite obscure images in color - many studies and sketches - things that interest other artists and Sargent fans - I have not read much of the content yet but the little I have read was very interesting, although not of great use to artists in that there is not much description of Sargents working methods (although there was some) - but this is usually the case with monographs - much history but not much instruction. So as artists we must learn mainly from the paintings - which fortunately are very well reproduced in this volume.
another wonderful Sargent book.......2007-03-26
This volume like the portrait volumes has beautiful illustrations ( fairly important for someone like Sargent!) and comparisons to others working in his time and place.
it's something you can look at and reread-- and it can be done in sections-- time and again
An Amateur Artist's opinion.......2007-01-09
I found this book to be so comprehensive, that it will be invaluable to any artist, amateur or professional - will keep me engrossed for a long. long time to come.
Book Description
Collection of portraits, selected from public and private holdings by art historian Trevor J. Fairbrother, reveal the technical skill and intuitive eye for which American portrait painter John Singer Sargent is renowned. Drawings in pencil, pastels and charcoal — a lesser-known aspect of Sargent's oeuvre — are shown. List of Plates. Introduction. Captions.
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding pencil art.......2007-09-11
I'm a big fan of Sargent, but haven't had the privilege of seeing much of his pencil work in the grand collections of his paintings. This changes that. What a great book with so many beautiful pencil and charcoal portraits to enjoy. And the price? Who sells art books for this price anymore? Dover does an amazing job.
Sargent Captures the Personality and for any Life Drawing Student this will be a Wonderful Guide.......2007-06-25
As a student of Life Drawing and Portraiture (Carolyn's by Design) going back to her art, I had to have more of Sargent. I had just read the book, "Strapless" about the nortorious Madame X who was captured over and over again in Sargent's renderings. This compilation of renderings displays how attuned Sargent is with his representations of the personalities, how good his eye is at capturing the likeness.....how easily he appears to use minimal usage of his medium to obtain maximum expression in his subject.....This small Dover Art Library reference to Sargent gives you the medium and size as well as the name of the subject and the Intro gives you a great synopsis on Sargent's bio.....For any serious student of Sargent....you will refer back to this over and over again for technical knowledge as well as the inspirational beauty obtained from his work...I love him! Formerly millersequine....sign me Carolyn's by Design and "Enjoy"!!!
Wonderful.......2007-03-18
As an art student, I'm in love with Sargents drawings, so much to learn from such a master.
Drawings or Sketches?.......2006-08-04
I was a little disappointed in this book. I expected detailed, color drawings. This book contains nice sketches of portraits that Sargent perhaps later painted. The reproductions are a little blurry, also. It is still a nice, inexpensive reference book to own.
Must have for Sargent lovers.......2006-03-20
Excellent plates - This book is a must have for any John Singer Sargent admirer!
Average customer rating:
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John Singer Sargent (Library of American Art)
Trevor Fairbrother
Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0810938332 |
Book Description
The name of John Singer Sargent evokes paintings of marvelously gowned Edwardian belles, of brooding aristocrats and princes of industry--insightful portraits executed with dazzling virtuosity.
Sargent's enduring popularity has prompted a thoughtful reappraisal by prominent art critic Carter Ratcliff, who shows us the surprising breadth of the artist's work. Never before has a book so thoroughly represented that variety: 110 lavish color plates and more than 200 halftones convey the brilliance of his portraits, the exuberance of his watercolors, the stately pomp of his murals. It is perhaps the watercolors that are most exciting to contemporary eyes--bold, spontaneous, and vividly hued, they have a breathtaking immediacy.
Born in Florence in 1856 to American parents, Sargent spent a nomadic childhood before going to Paris to study painting. He learned quickly and by the 1880s had begun the steady climb to fame that ultimately placed him at the center of his world, with a circle of friends and rivals that included Henry James, Claude Monet, and James McNeill Whistler. When Sargent died in 1925, a childhood companion wrote in her memorial that "the summing up of a would-be biographer must, I think be: He painted." It is the strikingly beautiful results of that lifelong devotion to his art that glow throughout the pages of this incomparable book.
Other Details:
338 illustrations, 110 in full color. 256 pages. 11 x 13" trim size. Published in 2001.
Customer Reviews:
I don't understand the other reviews...........2007-06-22
On the outside the book is large and gorgeous with a glossy dust jacket. Open the cover and the the inside color matches Lady Agnew's sash! Turn another page and -inferior quality paper. The colors of the reproductions are dull. TONS of black and white photographs. In some sections, pages and pages of just black and white photographs. By the large size of the book, I thought I would get to see large pictures. Not so, except for Chapter introductions where a close up of a detail might be featured, elsewhere there are sometimes 3-4 tiny pictures squeezed onto the same page. Too small (and some in black and white) to appreciate any of them. I was VERY disappointed and am going to return it. I have three other books on Sargent and the quality is just so much better than this one.
If you have only one book on your coffee table..........2007-03-31
H. H. Munro once said that to die before having one's portrait painted by Sargent was to have died prematurely. He was on target. Of course most of us cannot expect to afford the luxury of having our portrait painted by anyone of note, but if that lucky opportunity came along, alas!, now it is the artist himself who is no longer with us.
This is a wonderful book. It gives the art admirer a good look at much of J S Sargent's oeuvre and the illustrations are faithful, of the highest quality.
The book also allows one to trace Mr. Sargent's life and career, with enough detail to make the development of his art make sense. An American by linage, a Parisian by training and an Anglophile by choice, Mr. Sargent was at home in the best of houses and traveled to places that are still high on everyone's wish list. So whether he is giving us a look at the beau monde of two continents or the canals of Venice we are blessed with his record, which is truer than photography.
Once you have fallen in love with these works of art--and who cannot?--you will want to seek out those that are in public hands for a closer inspection. Do. There are two Sargents in the White House, for instance, Teddy Roosevelt in the East Room and The Mosquito Net in the Green Room. One of the many reasons to see our President's House.
But you will find Sargents in out of the way places, too. There is a fine portrait in the Richmond (VA) Museum of Art, Mrs. Vickers holding a magnolia blossom as she arranges a centerpiece before a dinner party. She, who is somewhat plain, holds that breathtaking flower and we almost hear Sargent saying, "The woman is this lovely, as well, if you take time to know her." It is well worth a trip there to see it.
And if you can, spend a goodly amount of time gazing at Madame X. It really is sensational in all meanings of the word.
If you have only one book on your coffee table, this is the book to have.
John Singer Sargent.......2006-08-25
I am extremely pleased with this purchase although I haven't
reached 'the end' yet. The colour plates are clear which is
so important. I already possess Sargent Abroad which I
would also readily recommend.
More than just a coffee table book.......2006-03-10
I purchased this book because my eleven year old needed it for a school project. It is more than just a pretty book, it has enough information in it for her to complete her report. I enjoy looking and reading about the work of John Sargent because his work is so beautiful. This is a book that when one feels the world is so crazy and ugly, you can pick up this book to escape. It was money well spent.
The Master at His Best!.......2005-08-11
In my estimation there is no better artist in all of history. Now that's a pretty bold statement, but anyone who has viewed Sargent's originals would have to agree this man painted with authority and bravado. Yes, he was a showoff. I think that sometimes he would make a brushstroke just to say "see what I can do?" A lot of people don't realize that he painted fantastic watercolors as well as great oil portraits. If you want to see what a brush can do in the hands of a true master, study the work of John Singer Sargent.
Book Description
This magnificent book is the first volume of the definitive catalogue raisonn_ of the works in oil, watercolor, and pastel of the beloved painter John Singer Sargent. This volume catalogues portraits by Sargent from 1874, when he began his training in Paris, and covers pictures painted while he was establishing his reputation in Paris, during his early years in England, and on his first professional visit to America in 1887.
Customer Reviews:
Stunning and georgeous book . . ........2007-08-26
By all means, buy this book! This is one of the most engrossing art books that I have come across. Each reproduction has crystalline clarity and the accompanying information makes for very interesting reading. You find yourself really interested in all the people depicted.
This is an excellent combination of art and text, without the book becoming a glorified textbook, but still being useful for research. I purchased the book mainly for the art and I am not disappointed! It's not one of those 'trick' art books that promise lush full color reproductions and actually consist of mostly black and white images. The only black and white included here depicts paintings that are lost. If you love J. S. Sargent's work, this is a great introduction to his earlier work and he only gets better!
Singular Singer Sargent.......2005-05-04
This book is such a treasure, it is such a wonderful tribute to an American icon. The pictures are just amazing and the text highly informative. It is truly an amazing compelation of his early work. It is the first in a series of three and they are all consistantly good. If you are a fan of Sargent you will definitely what to possess all three. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an appreciation of great art from a one of the masters.
Just Amazing...............2001-06-06
This book is for Sargent lovers. His incredible talent oozes in these pages. I can't wait for Vol 2 of this beautiful production of Yale University Press. I got me a magnifying glass and have spent hours looking at the unbelievably grand flesh tones that Sargent commanded. You'll love reading the background data of these portrait commissions during Sargent's career. I would give it six stars if I could. See it to believe it.....if I could only paint like he did or anything barely close. One of my best of collection. Hurry up Yale and give us Vol 2.
i can't wait for vol 2!.......2001-01-25
i bought this book after seeing the sargent show at the met in new york. i have been studing it ever since. mr ormand, ms. kilmurray please hurry. you have brought the works of this great american master to life as no one has done before and i look forward in anticipation to vol 2.
i can't wait for vol 2!.......2001-01-25
i bought this book after seeing the sargent show at the met in new york. i have been studing it ever since. mr ormand, ms. kilmurray please hurry. you have brought the works of this great american master to life as no one has done before and i look forward in anticipation to vol 2.
Average customer rating:
- good for an art historian, not so much for a painter
- Excellent series
- John S. Sargent is one of the few
- Artist and Teacher
- The Great Singer Sargent
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John Singer Sargent: The Later Portraits
Richard Ormond , and
Elaine Kilmurray
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
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Binding: Hardcover
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Similar Items:
-
John Singer Sargent : The Early Portraits (Volume One)
-
John Singer Sargent: Portraits of the 1890s
-
John Singer Sargent: Figures and Landscapes, 1874-1882; Complete Paintings: Volume IV (John Singer Sargent)
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Great Expectations: John Singer Sargent Painting Children
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John Singer Sargent
ASIN: 0300098065 |
Book Description
This sumptuous book is the third volume of the definitive catalogue raisonnŽ of the work of the American painter John Singer Sargent (1856-1925). Comprising over two hundred portraits and portrait sketches in oil and watercolor painted between 1900 and the artist's death in 1925, this book completes the trilogy of portrait volumes. The catalogued works have been grouped into two chronological sections, each with an introduction that sets the particular group in context. There is also a section of undated portraits and an appendix listing previously unrecorded works. Each work is documented in depth: entries include traditional data about the painting or watercolor; details of the work's provenance, exhibition history, and bibliography; a short biography of the sitter; a discussion of the circumstances in which the work was created; and a critical discussion of its subject matter, style, and significance in Sargent's career. Most of the works are reproduced in color. There is also an illustrated inventory of Sargent's studio props and accessories and a cross-referenced checklist of the portraits in which they appear.
Customer Reviews:
good for an art historian, not so much for a painter.......2007-03-04
first, i'm a painter myself, and a huge fan of sargent's work. in this book, however, the image quality isn't bad, and the color is close to accurate, but some of the luminoscity in color and contrast are lost. most of the images appear washed out and dull. the portrait on page 577 is a HORRIBLE photo. the art institute of chicago owns this painting, and having been a student there, i've spent hours studying this piece in person. the color os horribly grayed out in the photo, a lot of detail is lost, the painting appears to be a mess of paint rather than precisely carved out shapes (which is what made sargent so excellent). this is a landscape, but it doesn't seem to be painted outside in the photo! this is one of sargents greatest pieces, in my opinion, and the photo of the painting was completely butchered.
most other photos aren't this bad, but you must keep in mind that most of the paintings in this book are printed only half or a quarter of the page. everything just appears so shrunken, you can't observe the detail.
that being said, if you are a huge fan of sargent, an art historian, or for any other reason you want at your hand every single piece he's done, this would be a necessary addition. it's not a complete waste of money, i just don't think it is worth more than $25 or so. though, it IS the only book like this published thus far.
also, upon my first flip-through of the book, once i got to the last page, i realized my last page tore from the cover & the binding is exposed. i ordered this book brand new from amazon, so even though i can easily re-glue the binding together, it makes me feel the quality of this book is actually very low and cheap.
unfortunately, i spent an additional $100 on the other two volumes to this collection, and they have yet to arrive. hopefully they won't be as disappointing as this one.
Excellent series.......2006-12-15
I can't say enough about this entire series of books. It is the most comprehensive Sargent collection in the world, and a must for any Sargent fans. Every single volume is filled to the brim with his work and details about his life and his artwork. It also does not skimp on quality--the whole thing is printed in color (which was a relief, because I can't stand b/w printing of colored material--it's a crime in my opinion).
John S. Sargent is one of the few .......2006-02-08
true masters in Western Art history. His use of color in his paintings is unrivalled. I like how he treats his subjects in his paintings. He truly showed their humanity and beauty in a realistic light unlike most painters of his time who employ flattery in their paintings to please their patrons.
This book is well worth a look and a pleasure to behold!
Artist and Teacher.......2005-08-16
If art alone can teach the next generation of artists by the virtue of it's beauty and technical precision, Mr. Sargent's work is a master course all students must enroll. He divides the canvas into two distinct color families of light and dark and assigns them both temperatures he adheres to throughout the painting process. His colors fall within five distinct values which in it's simplicity empowers his brush with emotional impact second to none. Each reproduction whether it is in color or tone speaks to a new generation the great truths once understood by art teachers and taught in schools across America. Now, only a few understand these principles and even less master them to the level of Mr. Sargent, Anders Zorn and Franz Hal.
This book is worth it's weight in gold as a resource to teach and inspire not only for students but professionals alike. Let Mr. Sargent bring you back to a day when art was produced by a master's hand and had the precision of technical achievement alongside artistic beauty. Let each brush stroke teach you about modeling form and creating emotional impact that will inspire you to new heights and astonish the next generation.
The Great Singer Sargent.......2005-05-04
This is the third in an amazing series of books. The photos of this mans work are just beautiful. All three of these books in this series are consistantly good. I am a huge fan of Singer Sargents work, but even if you don't know much about him you won't be able to help but admire this singular talent. John Singer Sargent was an American treasure and I am so grateful that someone created such a wonderful tribute to his work, I highly recommend all three, they are each special in their own singular way, much like the man himself.
Book Description
Sargents reputation is often defined by his remarkable achievements as a painter of sophisticated society portraits. However, as this innovative examination of his career reveals, he created a significant number of childrens portraits and genre paintings featuring children.
The title of the book makes ironic reference to Charles Dickenss famous novel Great Expectations, and is used here to suggest how Sargents paintings of children related to the expectations associated with representations of childhood in the art and literature of Sargents day. The book also traces how Sargent ultimately advanced childhood as an artistic subject.
The book contains five essays by three notable curators and professors of fine arts, is illustrated with Sargents truly stunning and often lesser-known paintings of children, and includes Sargent family photographs, some of which are previously unpublished.
Customer Reviews:
Sargent Book.......2005-10-02
The book of children's paintings by Sargent is sold in many book stores. An excellent book, its list price is $60. Amazon lists it at nearly 50% less. Thus, the sale was not so much for a superior product, as for a far cheaper price.
Book Description
This gorgeous book is the second volume of the definitive catalogue raisonné of the work of the American painter John Singer Sargent (1856-1925). It comprises over onehundred and fifty formal portraits and portrait sketches in oil and watercolor that he painted between 1889 and 1900. The catalogued works have been grouped into chronological sections, each with its own introduction to set the particular group in context. In addition, an overall introduction places Sargent in the context of European portraiture of the past and of his own time.
Each work is documented in depth: entries include traditional data about the painting or watercolor; details of the work's provenance, exhibition history and bibliography; a short biography of the sitter; a discussion of the circumstances in which the work was created; and a critical discussion of its subject matter, style, and significance in Sargent's career. With very few exceptions, all the works are reproduced in color. There is also an illustrated inventory of Sargent's studio props and accessories and a cross-referenced checklist of the portraits in which they appear.
Customer Reviews:
the whole series.......2007-05-14
complete and lots of colour pics. good price: at the sargent exhibition in paris more than twice as expensive! very happy with my purchase.
Another excellent book in the series.......2006-12-15
I own the entire series, and I wouldn't part with any one of them. For Sargent fans, this series is a dream come true. I hope they would publish some "poster books" with large reproductions eventually, as that would really complete the series.
Singer Sargent.......2005-05-05
This is the second in a series of three and it is just as quality as the other two. I read the review of the reader who was disappointed in this book and thus did not order the other two with shear amazement. I really recommend that she look at another copy, all I can figure is that she got a poor copy, which unfortunitely does happen even at the best publishing houses. I am highly discriminatory about poor quality pictures and overall book quality and I can assure you this book is top shelf. I highly recommend it to anyone who has an appreciation for great portrature.
Good book, not so good reproductions.......2004-12-17
I have purchased "Portraits of the 1890s" primarily for the images and I have to say that I am dissapointed. Sargent definitely deserves a monograph with better reproductions. I lost my initial desire to order remaining two books in this series (fortunately, I haven't ordered all three as I intended).
The reproductions never do justice to the originals, but this is too much. The lighter colors are washed out (for instance, one of Sargent's most famous works - portrait of Lady Agnew) and many reproductions have yellowish or reddish cast. There are even images (as in case of portrait of Helen Sears) who are washed out and, in addition, have a yellowish cast.
The values on some other reproductions (portrait of W. Graham Robertson, for instance) are compressed to the point of absurd.
There are lot of preparatory sketches and drawings in this book, but they are very small - barely larger than a postage stamps. If you're interested in that part of Sargent's oeuvre, I can recommend Dover's book "Sargent Portrait Drawings".
For truth's sake, I have to say that not all reproductions in this book are bad - half of them are tolerable (I didn't see any who is superb, though).
Being both - a painter and art history professor my standards on this particular issue may be a bit higher than those of the non artists but, generally speaking, I just don't see the point of printing poor quality reproductions in an artbook or monograph.
The one we've all been waiting for!.......2004-07-15
Fantastic book, a must-have. The color reproduction is superb, the scholarship is facinating, it is as close to perfect as one could get.
Average customer rating:
- Great illustrations
- Comprehensive Collection of Sargent's Art
- Great content, not so great reproductions.
- This is the best Sargent book so far
- A satisfying book
|
John Singer Sargent (Fine Art Series)
Edmund Swinglehurst , and
John Singer Sargent
Manufacturer: Thunder Bay Press (CA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Similar Items:
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Sargent Portrait Drawings: 42 Works by John Singer Sargent (Dover Art Library)
-
John Singer Sargent: The Sensualist
-
Sargent Abroad: Figures and Landscapes
-
John Singer Sargent: Portraits of the 1890s
-
John Singer Sargent: The Later Portraits
ASIN: 1571452702 |
Amazon.com
John Singer Sargent (1856-1925), the famous portrait painter, spent his childhood traveling around Europe with his American expatriate parents. After studying at Paris's Ecole des Beaux Arts, he launched his career at the Paris Salon. But scandal ensued after he exhibited his most famous portrait, Madame X. The daring (at the time) picture of a beautiful socialite in a provocative dress, her shoulder strap slipping off, created such a stir among its viewers that Sargent eventually repainted the strap into a more proper position and relocated to London. There he continued portrait painting. Creating lush images full of light and incredible brushwork, "[He] breathed new life into the tradition of grand manner portraiture. Like his great predecessors he made his sitters look nobler, more beautiful than they were in reality.... What Sargent brought to the tradition that was new and different was his ability to infuse into his portraits a sense of the immediate and the actual, as if what we see before us is life unfolding as it really is." In 1907, the portraitist abandoned the craft and focused primarily on mural commissions, like the one for the Boston Public Library, and landscape painting.
This book, the catalog to a traveling exhibition that hits the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, among other venues, includes three essays on Sargent's life and work and detailed background information for all the paintings shown. It is a manageable 285 pages, with 171 color and 85 black-and-white images. --Jennifer Cohen
Book Description
Never has an artist been more exalted or vilified throughout his career and afterwards. John Singer Sargent was best known for his remarkable portraits, mostly high-society commissions, which many of his critics hailed as mere "art applied to social requirement and social ambition." However, no one can deny the opulence with which he portrayed his wealthy patrons, nor the luminosity of his other subject matter, be it foreign landscapes, people or architecture.
Customer Reviews:
Great illustrations.......2006-07-04
I bought this book on sale at a book store for less that ten dollars. The illustrations are far larger and better than in the sixty dollar books on Sargent I've bought.
Comprehensive Collection of Sargent's Art.......2006-02-14
This book accompanied an international exhibit traveling from the Tate Gallery, London, to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, and finally to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Edited by Richard Ormond (the artist's great nephew and Director of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich) and Elaine Kilmurray (author of catalogue raisonne of Sargent's work), the book encompasses the breadth of Sargent's work as an artist.
I used this book as a reference while reading the biography "John Singer Sargent: His Portrait" by Stanley Olson. This is a comprehensive collection of Sargent's art from his early works including The Oyster Gatherers of Cancale to later works such as the painting Gassed (a monumental canvas done for the British War Memorial Committee of the Ministry of Information).
As represented by this book, Sargent was much more than only a portraitist. "He was not a portrait painter who practiced as a muralist and landscapist on the side, he was all three in equal measure, and he gave to each in succession his undivided attention." The book includes: many of his Venetian hours (Venise par temps gris and An Interior in Venice), Paris and the Salon (the painting of Carolus-Duran at whose atelier he studied), and the Madame Gautreau debacle (the painting Madame X). It continues with Sargent reinventing himself in England with the painting Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose, which was a success when exhibited at the Royal Academy, London. It follows with portraiture--many Victorian characters such as Robert Louis Stevenson, Isabella Stewart Gardner, Henry James, and "a gallery of Edwardian personalities." Later chapters include the Murals at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and the Boston Public Library (definitive works as an artist), and Sargent the Watercolourist, especially Venetian watercolors (perpetual architecture, perpetual fluidity).
Sargent's art is a unique blend of realism and impressionism. "His pictures do not dissolve into skeins of color like those of Monet or Renoir because his instinct for defining forms and constructing spaces is too ingrained." For anyone who wants to see as Sargent sees, this is the book to have. Next best thing to viewing the exhibit.
Great content, not so great reproductions........2001-08-07
First off, you will never be satisfied with any reproduction compared to the original painting. Sargent's paintings in the MFA in Boston looks like the paint was laid yesterday. But I have seen several reproductions of this work, the originals in the MFA and MOMA in NY, and of all the major books I have seen, this has the most disappointing reproductions. The colors seem muted and flat.
On the other hand, the information on each painting is great, and for specific info on his works in a one volume set, this can't be beat.
This is the best Sargent book so far.......2000-11-15
I have no idea what the others are complaining about. I compared this Sargent book side by side at a book store with other published Sargent books, and this one had the best reproduction by far. It is even better than "John Singer Sargent : The Early Portraits (The Complete Paintings , Vol 1)", which is by the same author and editor as this one. Make no mistake, this is the best book so far I've seen on Sargent. I'm not concerned about the writing since I'm a fan of Sargent because I'm a painter, and he's one of the best there ever was. Sure I'd read the text, but it's not nearly as important as the reproductions of his paintings. It's all about the paintings, and he is an artist. That's all that matters.
A satisfying book.......2000-05-13
I saw this exhibit at the Tate Gallery, London. The exhibit was terrific, though something seemed lacking in the over all presentation. Sargent is one overlooked watercolorist. He is one of the greatest, on an equal or superior platform to Homer. His Valasquez like eye made him a superior artist, though he seemed to get trapped in his facile technique in society portraits. Sargent is an amazing artist. One whose personal power has always been challenged by those that believe technique is secondary. Tell that to someone who appreciates his lively beautiful brushwork and intelligent landscapes. They won't buy it! The reproductions are not second rate as stated previously. They are rather good!The essays are good reading too.
Book Description
The story behind the legendary John Singer Sargent painting that propelled the artist to international renown but condemned his subject to a life of public ridicule.
John Singer Sargent's Madame X is one of the world's best-known portraits. As the Metropolitan's most frequently requested painting for loans, it travels to museums around the globe. The image of "Madame X" decorates book and magazine covers, greeting cards and screen savers. She's even been immortalized as a Madame Alexander doll.
Few people, though, know the fascinating story behind the painting. "Madame X" was actually a twenty-three-year-old New Orleans Creole, Virginie Gautreau, who moved to Paris and quickly became the "it girl" of her day. All the leading artists wanted to paint her, but it was Sargent, a relative nobody, who won the commission. Gautreau and Sargent must have recognized in each other a like-minded hunger for fame.
Unveiled at the 1884 Paris Salon, Gautreau's portrait did generate the attention she craved-but it led to infamy rather than stardom. Sargent had painted one strap of Gautreau's dress dangling from her shoulder, suggesting, to outraged Parisian viewers, either the prelude or the aftermath of sex. Her reputation irreparably damaged, Gautreau retired from public life, destroying all the mirrors in her home so she would never have to look at herself again.
Why had Sargent chosen to portray her in such a provoc-ative manner? Was the painting, with the scandal it generated, the machination of a sexually conflicted man who desired a woman and a lifestyle he could never possess? Drawing on documents from private collections and other previously unexamined materials and featuring a cast of characters including Oscar Wilde and Richard Wagner, Strapless is an enthralling tale of art and celebrity, obsession and betrayal.
Customer Reviews:
A Timeless Image.......2007-08-27
When I was younger, I saw this image in an art book and, without reading anything about it, decided that it was a fasion plate from the 1950's. I picked this book up because I instantly remembered the white shoulder. Davis's book puts the painting in a cultural context that greately helped me understand it. There is a black and white print of people at an outdoor cafe on the day of the Salon in which Madame X appeared. The women are covered in bustles, multiple skirts, gloves and hats. I now understand what that audience found so dangerous about her wayward strap.
Engaging story, historical glimpse of 19th-cent France, & biography of Sargent to boot.......2007-08-10
This book is about the French-via-Creole socialite Amelie Gautreau's interaction with American-expatriate painter John Singer Sargent, an encounter that resulted in a painting that altered both of their lives. In weaving together the story of these two people, author Davis has created an engaging volume that simultaneously provides a window into 19th-century French society and a biography of the great painter Sargent.
Sargent's decision to paint Gautreau's portrait with a strap hanging off her shoulder at a time when he was trying to promote his fledging portraitist career was a calculated decision to glean publicity on the heels of Manet's "Olympia." There's a saying that "any publicity is good publicity" -- true in the case of Sargent. The strength of his work outlived the short-term scandal caused by the painting, which was so disturbing to him that he soon repainted the shoulder with the strap back on (now in the collection of New York's Metropolitan Museum). Unfortunately, the scandal ruined Gautreau's life, although simply growing old probably would have had the same effect on Gautreau, whose self-worth appears to have been inextricable with popularity, appearance, and youth.
The author is to be commended for trusting her intuition in following a very small detail -- the dress in Sargent's painting -- and finding the mystery behind it, revealing in the process a fascinating story. In so doing, she has created a marvelous glimpse into the art and society of late 19th-century France, as well as an easily-read biography of Sargent, certainly one of our most complex and greatest 19th-century American painters. I have always loved Sargent's work but have never read a biography of him, and was glad to have the opportunity to do so in such an interesting context. A very good read and interesting book.
Enjoyable, readable history of the time, painter and subjects.......2007-07-04
In a brief, readable book, Davis does a good job giving us an overview of Gilded Age Paris, the social changes between Sargent Madame X's debut and paintings of Mrs. Gatreua just a few years later.
She also gives us some nice background into lives of some of Sargents subjects, and the fraternal band of painters at the time. The only thing I would take with a grain of salt is her 'was he gay theories' some of the examples of drawings she uses to speculate into this show a lack of understanding about the artistic process. I know several professional painters who read the book and liked it but laughed at her 'proof' - the drawing over of a young many with a similar silhouette as Madame X - this is done all the time by artists, sometimes your subject 'turns into' another.
A life behind the canvas........2007-03-27
Two very interesting lives that leave you with the desire to know more about "Belle Epoque". Looking forward to another book by Deborah Davis.
Strapless.......2006-11-15
In la belle epoque France, people lined up for the annual art exhibition the way we do today for blockbuster movies. In this case, John Singer Sergeant painted more than just the portrait of a beautiful woman, and Paris didn't like it. The resulting scandal almost ruined him, it did ruin her, and I still want to dig him up and ask him why he put the strap back up.
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