Sargent - "On The Terrace" Watercolor painting of a terrace featuring potted plants, descending steps, and trees

John Singer Sargent • American: 1856-1925

On the Terrace C: 1908/10 • Watercolor on Paper

In 1884 John Singer Sargent painted Madame X (see slide show below) hoping to jumpstart his portrait-painting career. The low cut dress on an aristocratic woman caused a scandal when shown at the Salon in Paris. Sargent fled to London, then America to escape the repercussions.

Imagine the French being the prudes in that little drama.

Put Madame X next to On the Terrace and you can see the breadth of the man.

American or European? Realist or Impressionist? Oil or Water? John Singer Sargent was born in Italy, to American parents and seldom set foot on American soil. Yet, when faced with a choice between knighthood and renouncing his American citizenship, America won. His roots, after all, were in New England where Winthrop Sargent IV, his grandfather, descended from one of the oldest colonial families.

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Sargent was often considered the greatest American portrait painter. He painted high society patrons from both the continent and America. Yet, he also painted over 2,000 watercolors in an effort to move away from portraiture. On the Terrace is a good example of his watercolor work. It shows his fascination with light, color and the quick, almost hurried, touch exhibited by many Impressionists. He had a unique way of cropping scenes to make them seem more immediate, as if you were viewing a moment frozen on the canvas. If he had painted On the Terrace from ground level, it would have been a nice painting of adobe walls with greenery beyond. By painting the terrace from above and cropping the path at a radical angle, he captured a fleeting moment, filled with anticipation.

Sargent’s oil-paint portraits provide marvelous looks at the luxurious lives of Victorian era high society. Yet, you can almost always see a deeper story in his subject’s eyes, or manner. His watercolor landscapes were equally intriguing and are on view at the Canton Museum of Art.

Canton Museum of Art Permanent Collection • Gift from the James C. and Barbara J. Koppe Collection, 997.4

4 Ways to Sound Smart When Viewing at The Canton Museum of Art

1.
“Although considered an American artist, Sargent lived only a small portion of his life here.”

2.
“His painting ‘Portrait of Madame X’ caused a scandal when shown at the Paris Salon, causing him to flee to London, then America.”

3.
“Theodore Roosevelt impatiently turned on him while walking the White House grounds looking for a place to paint his portrait. Sargent told him to ‘hold that pose’ and he did.”

4.
“Although known for his portraits in oil paint, Sargent completed over 2,000 watercolors, mostly landscapes and architectural studies.”

Sargent Timeline. Scroll over images to see timeline.

1856

Born in Florence, Italy, to American Expatriates who fled to Europe after the death of their two-year old daughter. His father was an eye surgeon in Philadelphia and his mother was an artistically inclined society matron who suffered a mental breakdown after the death of her daughter.

1869

His family traveled the European continent during his formative years. At the age of 13 he took watercolor lessons from Carl Welsch, a German landscape painter.

1874-78

Studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, the leading art school in France. He shared a studio with James Carroll Beckwith, his first link to America.

1877

Completed a painting of his friend Fanny Watts and it received a warm reception when entered as his first Salon admission.

1879

Painted a portrait of his teacher, Carolus-Duran, which was recognized as one of his early masterpieces. Visited Spain where he studied paintings by Velazquez and fell in love with Spanish music. His painting Spanish Dancer cemented his reputation.

1884

Painted a portrait of Madame Pierre Gautreau, which he called Portrait of Madame X. The painting of an aristocratic woman in a low-cut gown caused a scandal when shown at the Salon. Sargent fled first to London and then America to escape the repercussions. This is now considered one of his best works.

1887

Painted Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose, his first major success at the Royal Academy in England.

1893

Elected a full member of the Royal Academy.

1907

Officially closed his studio in London, which had made him wealthy. This was the culmination of his movement away from portraiture and freed him to spend more time painting landscapes and architectural subjects.

1908

Sargent was offered a knighthood, but instead chose to keep his American citizenship.

1922

Co-founded Grand Central Art Galleries in New York City. The Grand Central School of Art was part of this gallery. By this time Sargent was dismissed as a historic relic by modernists taking over the art world.

1925

Returned to England where he died of heart disease on April 14, 1925. Memorial exhibitions were held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York as well as the Royal Academy and the Tate Museum in London.