Sargent Abroad: Figures and Landscapes [Hardcover]

Donna Seldin Janis (Author), Elaine Kilmurray (Author), Richard Ormond (Author), Warren Adelson (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1997

With impressive new scholarship and many previously unpublished, color-drenched images, this gloriously beautiful book reveals a new aspect of John Singer Sargent's remarkable career. Although best known for his dazzling society portraits, Sargent's landscape oil paintings and watercolors of his travels constituted a far more important aspect of his work than previously realized--collected here in an invaluable chronology, along with letters, diaries, and photos. 250 illustrations, 200 in color.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Famous for his society portraits, Sargent is revealed here as a painter of brilliant watercolors depicting Mediterranean landscapes, Venetian palaces, Alpine vistas, Italian gardens, Bedouin encampments . . . luminous reproductions. -- The Wall Street Journal, December 4, 1997

About the Author

Warren Adelson (president of Adelson Galleries, New York) is founder and supporter of the ongoing Sargent catalogue raisonne project. Donna Seldin Janis has contributed extensively to the catalogue raisonne. Elaine Kilmurray is research director and coauthor of the catalogue raisonne. Richard Ormond (director, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, England, and the artist's great nephew) is director and coauthor of the catalogue raisonne. Elizabeth Oustinoff (director, Adelson Galleries) is aresearcher and contributor to the catalogue raisonne.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 254 pages
• Publisher: Abbeville Press; 1st edition (October 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789203847
• ISBN-13: 978-0789203847
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 10.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #58,148 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #11 in Books > Arts & Photography > Painting > Landscape

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the 2 or 3 best on Sargent, March 14, 2006

By 

Peter McReynolds (California U S) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sargent Abroad: Figures and Landscapes (Hardcover)

For a grand tour of Sargent landscapes, this is one of my favorite books. I'm a Sargent fan, with many books on Sargent, and if I had to take just two or three to a desert isle, this would be one of them.
(Another is "Sargent and Italy", at least for Italy.) Many books have been written about Sargent over the last almost century and a few of them have been produced sort of "hurriedly" to put it kindly. Perhaps holiday shopping quickies. In contrast this book is first class, one of the very best. The manufacturing is first rate. Good reproductions. Sturdy binding.
This is a great book, both for simply its sheer, naive viewing pleasure as well as for its scholarly text, putting the images in informative context. Both a beautiful coffee-table picture book and a good textbook on Sargent.

An aside... in 2003, while painting in the gardens of the Duke's palace in Trieste, I made the acquaintance of two Italian ladies who also were painting. I spoke no Italian; they spoke no English. Somehow over the easels, the pantomined conversation got around to Sargent. Perhaps because we were all three painting together in an Italian garden? Turns out, all three of us, each had recently purchased a copy of "Sargent And Italy". Of course we had; it just made a lot of sense. I wish I spoke Italian; I should have asked if they also had "Sargent Abroad."

About 10 1/2 by 12 1/2 inches. From Abbeville Press, producers of excellent book on art. 254 pages. Organization is, roughly, seven chapters with titles like "Venice", "In the Alps.":, etc. These chapters are long essays by well-known and distinguished Sargent scholars, such as Richard Ormond, Sargent's grand-nephew. Includes an edifying appendix "Chronology of Travels". Also a subject index, but not a separate index to the very many good color images. Many B&W photos, not of Sargent's work, but of related scenes, e.g. Sargent and friends in the Alps. (For example, some photos show one about Sargent's circa 1900 Alpine haunts in company with reproductions of work produced there.)
An excellent book about a rather singular aspect of an outstanding artist. Highly recommended!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Average for the illustrations, July 3, 2006

By 

Wyota - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sargent Abroad: Figures and Landscapes (Hardcover)

Unlike the other reviewers I don't care much for this book on Sargent. Perhaps it's because I only bought the book for the illustrations and could care less for the text and essays. That said, it's a large thick book with a fair number of illustrations, but most are smaller in size and I'm very disappointed with the paintings represented. With regard to size, quality, and selection of illustrations I'm far happier with the book by Kate F. Jennings ( ISBN 1572153415 ).

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book out on Sargent's watercolors!, July 9, 2007

By 

J B (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sargent Abroad: Figures and Landscapes (Hardcover)

Excellent selection of Sargent's paintings, focusing on the looser, more private paintings instead of his formal oil portraits. Beautiful watercolors I've never seen in another book!