John s sargent biography

John singer sargent portraits

John Singer Sargent was an American painter by birth-right. He loved his country yet he spent most of his life in Europe. He was the most celebrated portraitist of his time but left it at the very height of his fame to devote full time to landscape painting, water colors and public art. He was born in Florence, to American parents and traveled extensively throughout Europe.

His parents never settled back in America, not stepping foot in the States himself until right before his 21st birthday to retain his citizenship. He was the darling of Paris until the scandal of his Madame X painting at the Salon. Discouraged at the rejection, even considered leaving art at the age of 28, he left Paris and settled if that word could ever be used for him in England where he reached the height of his fame.

To be painted by Sargent was to be painted by the best. Although England would be his home, he never stopped traveling and he never stopped painting. To describe Sargent is to say that he painted. It was his life and yet he had a deep appreciation for music and all art forms and went out of his way to promote other artists -- for this selflessness he was greatly loved.

Extremely bright, extremely gifted, an intense hard worker, he was the last great generalist.