The Watercolors of John Singer Sargent

About this book

John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) stands among the greatest of watercolor painters along with J.M.W. Turner Winslow Homer and other masters of this difficult medium. Watercolor was more than a distraction from the portrait and mural commissions Sargent labored over; after 1900 watercolor became central to his artistic vision. His aquarelles are simply stated masterworks. Portraits interiors landscapes architectural studiesSargents work in watercolor offers a great variety of subject matter ranging from Arab gypsies to World War I soldiers to masterful depictions of Venetian churches to Florida swamp alligators. Sargent carried his watercolors on his travels; They were ideally suited to capturing the scene the light the air wherever he found himself. This book serves as a record of his travels featuring the paintings he produced in Palestine Northern Africa the Canadian Rockies Italy Switzerland Spain and Greece. Among specific locales were the islands of Majorca and Corfu; Florence Venice Carrara Lake Garda and Rome; the Alps; Lake OHara; the coast of Maine and the Miami River. Sargents bold and often experimental use of the medium which sometimes led to semi-abstract images compels admiration among contemporary painters as well as museum goers today. In addition to placing Sargents accomplishments in the context of his life and time Carl Little discusses the artists extraordinary watercolor technique.