Sargent : the masterworks /
Stephanie L. Herdrich.
- 221 pages : illustrations (chiefly color) ; 29 cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
Introduction -- Sargent in Paris and beyond: early career to 1887 -- Professional success: Sargent in the United States and England, 1887-1925 -- Beyond the portrait studio, 1900-1925 -- Chronology.
An introduction to the painter's work, Sargent: The Masterworks features 100 of his most beloved paintings. Illustrating all aspects of his diverse oeuvre: portraits, landscapes, mural commissions in oil and watercolor, this handsome new book includes works from both private and public collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art's infamous Madame X. Author Stephanie L. Herdrich draws on a wealth of new research to provide both an essential overview and a more nuanced understanding of the great American painter. Richly illustrated, the book's three chapters cover the artist's career from his childhood and early years in Paris, to his mid-career portraits made in England and United States, and his later years painting out of doors. An illustrated chronology contains details and archival imagery about the artist's life. Sargent's cosmopolitan upbringing and education made him perfectly suited to capture the upwardly mobile bourgeoisie and aristocrats of his era, creating sensual portraits that depict his sitters with startling vibrancy. Though he achieved tremendous success in portraiture, Sargent focused on painting outdoors after 1900, achieving the most brilliant and personal images of his career.