John Singer Sargent

Three essays introduce the catalogue: John Singer Sargent: A Biographical Sketch and Sargent's Ark, both by Richard Ormon, Director of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, and the artist's great nephew; and Sargent in Public: On the Boston Murals by art historian Mary Crawford Volk. The Catalogue itself is divided into sections: Early Landscapes and Subject Pictures; Paris and the Salon; Impressionism; Portraiture in England and America; The Murals; Sargent the Watercolourist; Late Landscapes, Figure Studies and the war. The book concludes with a Chronology, Selected Bibliography and an Index. The Catalogue provides a comprehensive commentary on each picture. Many of the entries are illustrated; in total there are 171 colour images and 85 black and white; the black and white images include some photographs and the work of other artists. The beauty of this book is not just the reproductions, which are beautifully presented and many of which are half page or full page size, but also the accompanying commentaries printed alongside. A very handsome and well produced book. 12" x 9.6" (30.5 cm x 24.5 cm) 285 pages. Published 1998, ISBN 069100434X Hardback

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.

I found a battered and bruised copy of this collection in a bookstore and had ample time to compare the quality of the pictures with many of the highly rated, thicker Sargent compendiums. While the Carter book documents the technique and career of this master of light admirably, this publication stands as the one where Sargent's work seems most marvelously luminous. Though not an expert, I believe through comparison and quick makeshift measuring that the pictures are not only rendered most accuarately, but in some cases in better aspect ratios compared to the original sizes than many of the more expensive hardbacks. What a bargain!

I am so ashamed that I haven`t heard of this great artist before I got this lovely book as a gift. We are so selfish here in Europa, that only french painters will do, but no--. John Sargent Singer widened my mind and eyes. Thank you. Wish we could have his exhibition here.