John Singer Sargent (1856 – 1925)  John Singer Sargent was an American painter, and a leading portrait painter of his era. During his career, he created roughly 900 oil paintings and more than 2,000 watercolors, as well as countless sketches and charcoal drawings. An attempt to study at the Academy of Florence failed as the school was re-organizing at the time, so after returning to Paris from Florence, Sargent began his art studies with Carolus-Duran. He had a meteoric rise and noted for his bold technique and modern teaching methods. Sargent’s first major portrait was of his friend Fanny Watts in 1877, which was also his first Salon admission.

After leaving Carolus-Duran’s atelier, Sargent visited Spain. There he studied the paintings of Velazquez with a passion, absorbing the master’s technique, and in his travels gathered ideas for future works. Sargent was a life-long bachelor who surrounded himself with family and friends, but his sex life were scandalous. biography Sargent at art renewa cemter Sargent at The Art Institute of Chicago Sargent at National Gallery of Art Sargent at Artcyclopedia Sargent at JSS virtual gallery