Customer Reviews

Strapless: John Singer Sargent and the Fall of Madame X

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The title of this review refers to something John Singer Sargent wrote in a letter when he was attempting to complete the "Madame X," painting. He was having a great deal of difficulty in deciding what pose Madame Gautreau should adopt for the painting. It didn't help that the 24 year old woman appeared to suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder: she hated to hold a pose. She was rich, she was young, and, well, she had other things to do! I have to admit that when I read on the book jacket that "Deborah Davis is a writer and veteran film executive...",I was a bit put off. I thought, "Oh, this is going to be presented in a 'Hollywood' way, with a lot of style but no substance." Well, shame on me. Ms. Davis (who admits she is not an art "expert") has written a very good book. Although the book is relatively brief, the author covers a lot of ground. Even though the book is not meant to be a biography of Sargent, we still get a pretty good feel for what the man was like: sensitive, intelligent, ambitious, lonely and sexually conflicted. Sargent had already made a pretty good name for himself before he painted Amelie Gautreau. By painting a celebrated beauty, however, he was going for the brass ring - he was hoping to become even more well known and to generate more commissions for portraits of the rich and famous. When Ms. Davis talks about the actual public display of the painting at the 1884 Paris Salon, she also is quite good. We learn about the quirks of a culture where it was perfectly fine to have acres of naked flesh cavorting in a historical painting, but it was scandalous to have a fallen shoulder strap if you were painting a real, contemporary woman. Although this is not an academic work, it is still fascinating from a psychological/sociological standpoint. While Sargent was working on the portrait, Amelie (and her mother) thought it was wonderful. However, after the critics trashed it (and the public found it immoral), mother and daughter wanted nothing more to do with it. Sargent kept the painting because Amelie Gautreau wouldn't buy it. She had wanted fame, but not of this sort. Sargent had to "re-group" and for later Salons came up with paintings that were non-controversial but still showed off his virtuosity. After awhile the scandal was forgotten and Sargent was back in vogue. (In a classic case of "Be careful what you wish for, you might get it," in later years Sargent was so much in demand for portraits that he no longer wanted to do them. As Ms. Davis writes, "Sargent derisively spelled the word 'paughtrait,' and declared 'No more mugs!' to whoever would listen.) As Amelie Gautreau got older, and as the public forgot about her, she, sadly, began longing for any kind of fame. She commissioned other portraits, none of which could measure up to Sargent's. In 1891, in a pictorial shout for attention, she had Gustave Courtois do a portrait of her: she posed in a white gown (rather than the black gown she had worn for Sargent), with, yes, a fallen shoulder strap. If this book has any fault, it is that Amelie Gautreau comes across as a bit of a cipher. All we see are her vanity and attempts to bring attention to herself. It's a bit of a caricature, really. I'm not sure if that's because there's a paucity of information about her (especially when compared to Sargent) or if it's because it bolsters Ms. Davis's argument that with "Madame X," Sargent was trying to portray an exemplar of a shallow segment of society. Still, as a study of Sargent, of ambition - both professional and social, and of the late 19th century Paris art world (and of how artistic reputations rise and fall like the tides), this is a very rewarding read.

STRAPLESS is an excellent work of scholarship, combining biographies of two unrelated people whose stories always will be entwined in popular theory.

Here, author Deborah Davis traces the lives of artist John Singer Sargent and the subject of his most famous painting, Madame X.

Madame X was a renowned beauty in late 19th century Paris named Virginie Gautreau. Oddly, both Sargent and Gautreau were American ex-patriates, and Davis does an excellent job of describing the American colony in Paris at that particular time.

At the moment of its completion, in the portrait of Virginie, her gown had a strap depicted as falling off her shoulder. So decadent was this considered, so blatantly alluding to things sensual, that the portrait caused a scandal.

Sargent then was considered a rising star and both he and Virginie expected this portrait to solidify their places among the stars of the Belle Epoque. Yet luster would not be added to either of their reputations, not even after Sargent had re-painted the strap into its proper place.

Sargent fled to England, where his prestige slowly recovered. Gautreau, however, remained a virtual outcast of society as a consequence of the negative reaction. Over the decades, Sargent has remained famous, while Virginie's actual name has fallen into obscurity.

And if Davis had not decided to step in and tell the whole tale, Virgine probably would have remained obscure. STRAPLESS shows marvelous research about a fascinating moment in time.

As an artist and a art historian, I was very pleased to get new insight into the story behind the painting Madame X and the people and places that surrounded her creation. As in The DaVinci Code, many mysteries were uncovered in an intriquing way (but without all of the running around). Bravo for writing a book that is accessible to artists and laypeople alike. Davis has painted a picture of the process the artist goes through when making decisions that remain on the canvas years after the artist and model are long gone. Worth taking the time to read the story and to see the beautiful reproductions of Sargent's paintings.

I read this book in August 2008 and have been meaning to review it ever since. For shame.

Most people know John Singer Sargent's infamous painting "Madame X" even if they don't know the name and have never heard of the artist because this painting has quite the sensational story attached to it.

According to surrounding lore, Sargent initially painted "Madame X" with the right strap of her black gown slipping off of her shoulder.When the painting debuted at the 1884 Salon in Paris ( the place to have a painting displayed at the time and a good signifier of current or future artistic success) it created an uproar, so scandalous was the pose. Indeed, facing numerous charges of the painting's indecency, Sargent eventually repainted the strap sitting firmly, and properly, on Madame's shoulder.

Pursuing my art history minor in New York City I had the amazing opportunity to see "Madame X" in person at the Metropolitan Museum. The painting has always had a special place in my heart for, if nothing else, the drama associated with its debut. So I was very pleased when a copy of Deborah Davis' book Strapless: John Singer Sargent and the Fall of Madame X (2004) fell into my lap.

Part historical research, part biography, part social commentary, part feminist text, Deborah Davis handles a lot of material in a relatively small volume (320 pages with font of average size and relevant pictures included). One of the reasons Davis decided to research this particular painting and its subject is because so little information remains about Virginie Amelie Gautreau, her life, or how Sargent came to paint her scandalous portrait.

While "Madame X" eventually catapulted Sargent into the artistic canon and toward immortality, the portrait likely led to Gautreau's ruin and her obscurity. In her book, Davis tries to set the record straight, portraying Gautreau as the powerful, savvy woman she was before a bare shoulder changed her social standing forever.

My library system catalogs this book as a biography of John Singer Sargent, which for a lot of reasons is the logical choice. However, really, most of the book is spent looking at the life of Sargent's subject and patron: Madame Gautreau.

The book traces Gautreau's family history, her migration from New Orleans to Paris (where she became a quasi-celebrity along the lines of Kim Kardashian or Paris Hilton virtually overnight at the tender age of twenty-three), and perhaps most interestingly just how much work went into being a beautiful woman in Paris in the 1880s. No details escapes Davis' examination as she looks at the clothing, finances, indeed the very persona Gautreau had to cultivate to live the decadent lifestyle she became accustomed to.

The strong point in Strapless is when Davis sticks to such facts: how Gautreau lived, why Sargent would want to paint her, what happened at the Salon when "Madame X" debuted. Davis also expertly outlines the tenuous, and often stressful, patron-artisan relationships that Sargent and artists like him had to cultivate in order to eke out a living with their brush.

The momentum flags when Davis veers into the hypothetical wondering if Sargent might have been in love with Gautreau, torn between her and one of his young proteges. While the theory is interesting, it does remain a theory very akin to the conspiracy theories so often found in research on the Titanic.

That aside, Strapless is a remarkably well-done book. The thorough research shows through without dulling the writing. Davis' text is conversational and very accessible--more so, it must be said, than many writings found in the field of art history. An excellent book on art history for enthusiasts and art historians alike.

A fascinating, well researched view of the perfumed and indulgent world of a society beauty whose charisma captured one of the greatest artists of the nineteenth century. STRAPLESS gives Amelie Gautrea her rightful name, and reveals her notorious secrets, while offering an interesting history of Sargeant's early career. A riveting story!

Not one to normally pick up such a book, I was very pleased to find that I found the subject matter presented in such an interesting and informed manner, that I read the book in one sitting! I'm a guy who appreciates art; but I didn't usually think much about what's behind a particular painting. Ms. Davis has opened my mind to the wonderful personalities and behaviors of not only artists but also their subjects. Clearly,her book has made me more appreciative and sensitive to artists and their lives. The other facinating thing about the book was the careful setting of the times and lifestyles of both New Orleans and Paris, places I have visited. Ms. Davis is a careful researcher and a beautiful writer. This is a book I am happy to pass on to close friends.

Absolutely captivating! "Strapless" drew me in from Chapter 1, and I remained glued to its pages until the last one turned. This book is one of those rare gems that you're sad to finish. Davis' chronicle of life in Belle Epoque Paris, the art world, and the culture of the day is simply fascinating. She bestows a vivid account of the people behind the portrait in such grand detail that it felt like I was right there peaking out from behind a canvas. Her wit and insight were wonderfully entertaining. I'm so looking forward to reading more from this new author! If you're looking for a must read -- here it is!

Madame X will always be a little mysterious - that's part of her charm. But this book does a great job of bringing the woman and her world to life. I was fascinated by all the details about life in Paris and I thought Davis did a great job of making all that art interesting and understandable. I loved it !

After I read Girl with a Pearl Earring I started to look at other paintings more closely, wondering about their stories. Strapless tells a great story about a great painting. You don't have to know anything about art to appreciate it. And I like the fact that Davis doesn't get too academic. This is a lively book with very colorful characters. Try it!

Madame X has always been an elusive and mysterious woman. This book places her in the context of her time and gives her a personality that is equal to her extraordinary portrait by John Singer Sargent. A great read!