John Singer Sargent (American, 1856–1925) was one of the most celebrated portraitists of the Gilded Age, known for his dazzling brushwork, psychological acuity, and cosmopolitan sophistication. Born in Florence to American expatriates, Sargent trained in Paris and traveled widely across Europe, cultivating a style that fused academic precision with impressionistic flair. His career took off with the scandalous success of Madame X (1884), and he quickly became the portraitist of choice for aristocrats, artists, and intellectuals from London to Boston.
While famed for his society portraits, Sargent's talents extended to landscapes, watercolors, and murals, often revealing a freer, more experimental hand when working outside the confines of commissioned work. His depictions of friends, gardens, and sun-drenched scenes from his travels display a reverence for natural light and an almost musical rhythm of form. Attuned to both beauty and personality, Sargent left behind a body of work that continues to pulse with vitality, elegance, and insight into the spirit of his era.
