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John Singer Sargent: Portraits of the Gilded Age

John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) was an American painter best known for his portraits of high society patrons during the Gilded Age. He received classical art training in Europe and spent most of his career working in England, though he painted American subjects. Sargent grew tired of pandering to vain portrait subjects but still found high demand for his work. While his portraits depicted the opulence of Gilded Age elites, other artists captured scenes of ordinary urban life to portray different aspects of the period.

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26 views13 pages

John Singer Sargent: Portraits of the Gilded Age

John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) was an American painter best known for his portraits of high society patrons during the Gilded Age. He received classical art training in Europe and spent most of his career working in England, though he painted American subjects. Sargent grew tired of pandering to vain portrait subjects but still found high demand for his work. While his portraits depicted the opulence of Gilded Age elites, other artists captured scenes of ordinary urban life to portray different aspects of the period.

Uploaded by

Nishad.K.Saleem
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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The Bromfield Museum of American Art

John Singer Sargent

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John Singer Sargent (1856-1925)


born in Florence, Italy to American parents studied art in Italy, France and Germany received his formal art education at
the Ecole des Beaux Arts
the Paris studio of noted French portraitist Carolus- Duran

spent most of his life in England


although he is well-known as an American painter, he traveled only occasionally to the U.S.

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Sargents work included landscapes, many in the French impressionist style, (as in the painting within a painting to the right) but he is most well known for his portraits.

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Sargent was one of the most sought-after portrait


painters during Americas Gilded Age.
He painted stylish society portraits

and he created intimate portraits for friends.


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After a while, Sargent got tired of portrait painting; he became exasperated by the whim and vanities of prominent sitters. He kept raising his prices; but instead of putting off customers, his portraits were in even higher demand!!

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Not everyone was happy with his work, though


For example, Eleanora Iselin, a banker's wife, was very upset that Sargent made her pose in the street clothes she wore rather than in one of the beautiful gowns she had brought with her for the sitting.

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Other critics felt that Sargents work was scandalous and inappropriate.
One example was his portrait of Madame X.
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Sargent painted during the time period known as

The Gilded Age (1870-1900)


The Gilded Age in America was marked by growth, prosperity and conspicuous consumption.

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Gild to cover with, or as if with,


a thin layer of gold Often gives a deceptively attractive or improved appearance
shiny on the surface cheap/dirty underneath

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The Contrasts of the Gilded Age

How the other half lived The Vanderbilt Mansion

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Sargents portraits reflected one aspect of the Gilded Age.


Peter A.B. Widener
Wealthy, respected businessman patron of the arts

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Another aspect of the Gilded Age


Other painters chose to depict scenes of city life which represented the experience of the average person, rather than that of the privileged few.
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Clearly, no one artist, and certainly no one work of art can capture the essence of an entire period.

Artists and art, are however, a reflection of the attitudes of a given time period, and as such are just one of the many valuable tools available to the student of history.

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