John Singer Sargent

About the Artist

John Singer Sargent was a leading painter of the Impressionist era, born in Florence, Italy in 1856 and died in London in 1925. Born to American parents, he spent most of his career in Europe, where he achieved international fame. Sargent gained international renown mainly through portraiture, his work marked by rich technique and vitality. His early work 'Portrait of Madame X' in particular caused a great controversy in Paris but later became a turning point in the recognition of his artistic achievement. Sargent's artistic world combines technical mastery with Impressionist elements, and his life and art are today being reassessed both socially and aesthetically.