John Singer Sargent ( 1856 -1925 ) was an American artist, considered the “leading portrait painter of his generation” for his evocations of Edwardian era luxury. This huge art book by Abbeville Press showcases over 300 pieces of his paintings.

(above) Sargent’s parents were American, but he received his artistic training in Paris. During the early part of his career Sargent was more interested in landscapes and his paintings displayed a close affinity to the style of the Impressionists, and during his time in Europe he was acquainted with many of the movement’s champions like Degas and Monet.

(above right) During a trip to Spain Sargent was introduced to the work of the master Diego Velázquez, and was deeply impressed and influenced by his paintings. “The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit” ( above left ) is a tribute to the Velázquez’s “Las Meninas”.

(above) Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose and (below) Lady Macbeth can both be seen at Tate London.

(above) Apollo In The Chariot With His Hours, Sargent’s ambitious mural project for the Boston Library. I find these series of allegory paintings very similar in spirit and style to Alphonse Mucha’s Slav Epic. I only wish the reproductions in the book could have been in full color rather than monochrome.

(above) A painting of Perseus With The Head Of Medusa in Palazzo Vecchio, Florence, just next to the amazing Uffizi art museum.

A fantastic collection of Sargent’s art work and the huge print size of the book really allows for great appreciation. It is unfortunate that a significant portion of the reproductions are in monochrome ( like the Boston Library Murals ), but the expansive collection of Sargent’s works featured and the generous print size still warrant a high recommendation.

“Sargent Art Book Review – Abbeville Press” art book details :

Dimensions – 13.4 x 11.3 x 1.2 inches
Hardcover, 256 pages
Color, in English

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