An American who spent most of his life in Europe, a portraitist who
painted landscapes, a family man who never married, and an
accomplished pianist who often entertained his sitters, John Singer
Sargent (1856-1925) was one of the most influential portrait
painters of his time, but he is also an enigma. Despite his huge
body of work, we know little about Sargent the man. Truly
international, he was acclaimed on both sides of the Atlantic, and
was close friends with many of the leading artists, writers, actors
and musicians of his generation. Over the course of his career,
Sargent created roughly 900 oil paintings, more than 2,000
watercolours and a vast number of sketches and charcoal drawings.
He travelled extensively, to Venice, the Tyrol, Capri, Corfu,
Spain, France, England, Holland, the Middle East, Canada and across
America. Wherever he went, he captured the people and the
surroundings. Using the fluid brushwork that had been introduced by
his friends the Impressionists, his portraits are intimate and
experimental, conveying both superficial appearances and
psychological depths, and his landscapes are atmospheric and
immediate. Sargent was in constant demand for his portraits, and
during his lifetime he was perceived as a far more significant
artist than contemporary avant-garde painters such as Paul Cezanne
(1839-1906) and Paul Gauguin (1848-1903), and he allied himself
with one of the most progressive, independent ateliers in Paris.
His style fused the spectacular Impressionistic brushwork with
techniques he learned from both Old and Modern masters, combined
with his interest in human psychology, all consolidated by his own
adroit artistry. Yet during his life, as well as attracting such
acclamation from across Europe and America, he also provoked both
scandal and condemnation, and after his death, he became judged
adversely. As with many artists however, the wheel of favour
eventually turned and once again, in the early 21st century,
Sargent's work was reassessed and revalued and he is now considered
one of the finest and most skilful painters. The first part of this
informative book explores the life of Sargent and the times he
lived in, and the second part is a magnificent gallery of his work,
with details about each painting and its context, with expert
analysis of his style and technique. This beautifully illustrated
volume, with 500 reproductions and images, will be essential
reading for anyone who would like to learn more abut this
intriguing artist, whom The Metropolitan Museum in New York called
`the Van Dyck of our times.'.
General
Imprint: |
Lorenz Books
|
Country of origin: |
United Kingdom |
Release date: |
2020 |
Authors: |
Susie Hodge
|
Dimensions: |
282 x 216 x 22mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Hardcover
|
Pages: |
256 |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-7548-3290-4 |
Categories: |
Books
|
LSN: |
0-7548-3290-2 |
Barcode: |
9780754832904 |
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