“I do not judge, I only chronicle.“
- Name: John Singer Sargent
- Born: January 12, 1856
- Died: April 15, 1925
- From: Florence, Italy
- Artists Pronouns: He/him
- Contribution/Impact: A portrait painter in America, captured Edwardian age society. Wealthy flocked to him for his portrait skills. Created over two thousand watercolors, nine hundred oil paintings. He retired portraits to create landscapes, which have been appraised as slightly prophetic, such as Fire Mountain, which depicts a smokey mountain, and uses a very realistic style.
- Occupation: Artist/Portrait Painter
- Known For: Madame X, Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose, El Jaleo
- Awards: Sargent’s works have been featured in many museums and exhibitions, and his works have been sold at record prices in auctions.
- Interesting Facts: Andy Warhol, another famous artist, used his works as an homage to Sargent’s technique as he said that he made everyone look glamorous.
John Singer Sargent was an Italian American painting that was born in 1856. Before his death in 1925, he made a reputation for himself as the leading portrait artist of his generation. He made paintings about the impacts of war, portraits, and later in life, landscapes. While his sexuality is heavily debated, there is no evidence that he was homosexual, however his paintings have been said to feel homoerotic. Comments of that nature on his work have been held back because it would remove his reputation as an upholder of upper-class values and portraiture. Retrospectively, a lot of his work seems to remark on the fluidity of human sexuality, especially the collection of male paintings, in which he has them echo generally female poses (arched back, etc). Madame X, his best known picture, drew criticism as critics thought of it as eccentric and erotic, causing a scandal.
Handout
To download the Handout:
- Click on the image
- Right-click and select Save Image As…
- Decorate and personalize the empty space in the image.
- Cut out and use for a selfie to share on our social media page.
- Download a card and envelope template and write about an idea this leader inspires.
- Check out The Attic for more resources and events for Philadelphia’s LGBT+ youth!
This ASI Special event is an ongoing volunteer-led project made by people like you, using multiple educational sources regularly being revised and updated. We would love your assistance if you or your group would like to get involved, learn more here.