Customer Reviews

John Singer Sargent, his portrait

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About 6 by 9 inches. 280 pages. Footnoted. Approximately 50 illustrations, all B&W. With an extensive notes section. Two appendices; one for Sargent's family genealogy, another for a description in Sargent's own words of his Boston murals project. 1986. St. Martin's Press.
In Olson's view, Sargent biography occurred in three main phases. Immediately after Sargent's death, his friend, Evan Charteris, wrote the first biography. In the `50s, Charles Merrill Mount wrote the second. After another thirty years, Olson wrote this third, his own biography of Sargent. I've read this last first and plan to read the earlier ones next. This perhaps odd reverse order to ensure that I have the bare facts quite straight from the beginning, because although Charteris personally knew Sargent and his book is affectionate, Sargent's sisters complained that the correct facts were not always there in that first book. But with the facts now straight, the earlier biographies can be read more for perhaps additional color. And of course the idea of only three real biographies of Sargent is inaccurate. For example, Patricia Hills' biography came out the same year as Olson's.
Why read a complete Sargent biography? Most of his life, at least the broad facts, is there in condensed form in the many available books on his art. His work is seldom discussed in a vacuum. Along with reproductions and discussion about them, there's, "Born 1856 in Florence, Italy to inveterate expatriate parents..." One good reason is to learn more details, to see not just the walls but the bricks in the wall. Olson's book is quite informative. Of particular interest to an artist, for example, is Sargent's sympathetic advice to his artist friend, Paul Helleu. Once entering Helleu's studio and finding him in despair amidst discarded sketches and pastels, Sargent assured Helleu that he thought them just fine and expressed a desire to buy one. When Helleu countered that all that was well and good but the works were not what he had intended, Sargent replied that such was always the case. As if artist may propose, but paper or canvas disposes. From Sargent this is quite curious. Frequently accused of almost unnatural (and somehow un-artistic) technical facility, one would think that Sargent before anyone would be able to routinely produce precisely what he intended a priori. Was he telling his truth or merely solacing a good friend? This is of real interest to the rest of us, who now and then might produce some good work... but largely by accident.
Another reason to read this biography is Olson's fine, even entertaining and witty way of writing. We read that Sargent's parents, interviewing potential wet nurses, learn a quintessential Italian fact, why tell the truth when a perfectly good lie will do. The breast feeding candidate, first deposed and denied, returned again another day for a second shot with new costume, dyed hair and an assumed name. Perhaps maddeningly painful lactic tension was her impetus. It certainly could not have been the Anglo American food. Such is the charm of Italy. I truly love it.
Still another benefit is access to Olson's reasoned opinions. For example, Sargent's almost blank personal /sex life. Opinions on this vary considerably. The fact that Sargent left no public trail in this regard, leads me, despite any suspicions, to respect his privacy. Olson argues from the same common material that there is no evidence that he was homosexual or not. Other writers, as near as I can understand them, argue oddly that Sargent's evident artistic inclinations must imply that he was homosexual? As if anyone familiar with magenta and mauve must be homosexual? From the top of my head ... magenta is a redder violet, mauve more blue. Original mauve was a coal tar derivative dye discovered early in the 19th Century. It proved extremely popular for women's clothing and for a season or two was the signature color of the ladies of Queen Victoria's court. Mauve was also the surname of a Belgian artist who briefly taught Vincent van Gogh?
As an aside, Olson plausibly argues that "John Singer Sargent" is an error. Sargent is never known to refer to himself as such. A signature of "John S. Sargent" is as formal as he got. However, in this day of the Internet, searching "John Singer Sargent" unfailingly leads to the correct sites. In contrast, searching "John S Sargent" often does, but also often does not, leading instead to various other "John S Sargent"s, ward politicos, advertising dentists, soccer players, who knows what. Alas, Olson will never be aware of this counter argument to "John S Sargent", he died much too young at 42 shortly after completing this most excellent book. Nor shall we benefit from more good writing by Olson, an American with a University of London PhD in literature.
In sum, I unreservedly recommend reading Stanley Olson's biography of Sargent. But, I'd read it right next to a large book of decent Sargent color reproductions.

I really enjoyed the book. He was an interesting character who seemed to be liked by everyone and didn't take himself too seriously. My only complaint: for a book about a painter the figures are of poor quality.