Artist

Sargent, John Singer

1856

1925

American (North American)

American painter, 1856-1925

male

Born in Italy to expatriate American parents, Sargent became a highly regarded and prolific portraitist of the late 19th century, working in France, England and the U.S. Under the influence of Carolus-Duran, Sargent undertook a study of the works of Velázquez in Spain, 1879, and Frans Hals in the Netherlands. He was also influenced by the Impressionists, particularly Monet, whom he knew, and often worked in a more experimental manner at odds with his formal portraiture. His most famous portrait, 'Madame X,' caused a scandal at the Salon of 1884, causing him to move from Paris and permanently settle in London, where he painted society portraits to great acclaim. After 1910 he devoted himself to painting landscapes and murals, including commissions for the Boston Public Library and Museum of Fine Arts. Comment on works: Portraits