John Singer Sargent, Nonchaloire (Repose), 1911
What a symphony of gray and white! (Rendered, of course, in the iridescent hues of the full-color spectrum.)
In this portrait of the artist's niece, Sargent conspicuously displays his mastery of light, color, and texture. He appears to convey, in broad, seemingly offhanded brushstrokes, the precise quality of the most exotic and varied surfaces and fabrics.


Detail: John Singer Sargent, Nonchaloire (Repose), 1911
Sargent painted this purely for pleasure. He probably smirked mildly at the contrast between the resting girl and her elaborate, fluttering skirts which take up more of the couch than she does. Clearly, the various lights and shadows of the complex and contrasting silks, satins, linens, gilt marble, carpet, hair, flesh, and wall delighted him.
He nails the satin dress's opalescent sheen by painting the accents (where the light reflects most brightly) with a pairing of very light blue and pink (one cool color and one warm, that together suggest opalescence) in identical high-key values.


Detail: John Singer Sargent, Nonchaloire (Repose), 1911
The whole piece is like that - warm yellow-whites, transparent, zinging blue-greens (viridian? Prussian blue?) glancing off deeply cool lavenders, magentas and mauves. And yet the main colors read, for the most part, as various shades of white, gray, silver, and gold! The man was a magician, pure and simple.
One can see this "casual" maserpiece (approx. 25 x 30 inches) in the National Gallery in Washington D.C., which has this to say about it:
Exasperated by the demands of his sitters, Sargent proclaimed portraiture to be “a pimp’s profession” and by 1907 resolved never to accept another portrait commission. During his later years, the artist devoted himself to creating decorative murals for public buildings and to painting watercolors and small canvases purely for pleasure
In 1911 Sargent vacationed with his sister’s family in Switzerland, where he painted Nonchaloir (“nonchalance”). A casual character study instead of a formal portrait, it depicts Sargent’s niece Rose-Marie Ormond Michel, whom he nicknamed “Intertwingle” because of her agile, intertwined poses. Influenced by the “art for art’s sake” movement, the painter unified the color scheme with the amber light of a lazy afternoon. The straight lines of the posh furnishings in the Swiss hotel accentuate the swift brushstrokes used to delineate his niece’s fingers, hair, cashmere shawl, and satin skirt.
Thank you for starting my day with such a beautiful work from Sargent! Your explanation on how he achieved the satiny shimmer in the skirt was very interesting.
ReplyDeleteI took a peek at your gallery and I love your landscapes!
Sharron- I'm so glad to hear it! Thank you for the compliment and for your comment!
ReplyDeletenike huarache
ReplyDeleteoakley sunglasses wholesale
hogan
roshe run
louis vuitton
cheap snapbacks
football shirts
pandora jewelry
cheap nhl jerseys
tiffany and co jewelry
louis vuitton outlet
louis vuitton bags
timberland boots
polo ralph lauren
mulberry outlet
swarovski crystal
black friday deals
ralph lauren outlet
ray ban sunglasses
oakley sunglasses
cheap jordans
michael kors handbags
nike air max shoes
barbour coats
ugg boots
cheap nba jerseys
michael kors factory outlet
soccer jerseys
replica watches
christian louboutin uk
michael kors outlet
true religion outlet
ugg outlet
louis vuitton outlet
michael kors factory outlet
cheap jordans
true religion jeans
ralph lauren uk
tiffany outlet
mbt shoes
20151023caihuali
coach outlet
ReplyDeletemontblanc pens
michael kors handbags
louis vuitton handbags
pandora charms
celine handbags
louis vuitton
nike sb janoski
nike uk
louis vuitton outlet
nfl jerseys
michael kors purses
louis vuitton outlet
adidas running shoes
michael kors outlet clearance
polo ralph lauren
air max 90
louis vuitton
coach outlet
michael kors outlet online
nike outlet
nike air max 90
michael kors outlet
michael kors handbags
ray ban sunglasses outlet
louis vuitton handbags
beats by dr dre
michael kors outlet online
christian louboutin wedges
cheap air jordans
pandora outlet
chenyingying0711
I like it when people come together and share ideas.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.prokr.net/2016/09/water-leaks-10.html
http://www.prokr.net/2016/09/water-leaks-9.html
http://www.prokr.net/2016/09/water-leaks-8.html
http://www.prokr.net/2016/09/water-leaks-7.html
http://www.prokr.net/2016/09/water-leaks-6.html
http://www.prokr.net/2016/09/water-leaks-5.html
http://www.prokr.net/2016/09/water-leaks-4.html
http://www.prokr.net/2016/09/water-leaks-3.html
http://www.prokr.net/2016/09/water-leaks-2.html
http://www.prokr.net/2016/09/water-leaks.html
michael kors outlet
ReplyDeletenike blazer low
nike store uk
michael kors outlet
christian louboutin
instyler max
jordan 4
cheap ray bans
ralph lauren
coach outlet
Good write-up. I definitely love this site. Keep it up
ReplyDeletehttp://rehabgad.nation2.com/
http://prokr.mozello.com/blog/
http://prokr123.talkspot.com/
http://www.nv2it.org/
Thanks for sharing the information
ReplyDeleteKhasiat QnC Jelly Gamat
Cara Mengatasi Penyakit Eksim Atopik
Cara Mengobati Alergi Dingin
Obat Paling Mujarab untuk Diabetes
Obat Batu Empedu Alami
Pengobatan Penyakit Amandel
Thank you for joining us. his article is very helpful
ReplyDeleteCara Mengobati Benjolan Di Vagina
Pengobatan Alami Penyakit vertigo
Obat Maag Alami
Obat Penambah Berat Badan
Cara Mengobati Penyakit Kista
Tips Obat Tradisional Gagal Jantung
ReplyDeleteGood write-up. I definitely love this site. Keep it up
https://prokr122.blogspot.com/
https://rehabgad.hatenablog.com/archive
https://prokr123.cabanova.com/
http://arabic-vb.com/
https://www.prokr.net/ksa/jeddah-water-leaks-detection-isolate-companies/
hermes online
ReplyDeletejordan shoes
louboutin
off white shoes
michael jordan shoes
vans shoes
ultra boost
yeezy boost 350
supreme t shirt
golden goose outlet