John Singer Sargent.

When ever I start one of these blogs they seem to take on a life of there own and go off in unexpected derections. I thought it was time to take a look at one of my heros John Singer Sargent, although best known as a portraitist he also painted wonderful landscapes which I hope to visit later. In the meantime I thought I would start with some of his charcoal drawings that he loved to do.
They are quite hard to view as although there are plenty of them in collections such as the National Portrait Gallery they are hardly ever put on display.
This one is of "Kit" Anstruther Thompson and was the first one I saw in the flesh when I visited The Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin.


Miss Anstruther Thompson



It’s full of life and was done quickly while Kit was sketching (Sargent?)

Sargent also painted a more studied portrait of Miss Clementina Anstruther-Thompson.


Miss Clementina

Miss Clementina was a friend of Vernon Lee who Sargent also painted.



Vernon Lee

Vernon Lee was the pseudonym of Violet Paget the two  women were co-authors on many books and their writing is a unique record of the romantic friendship and intellectual collaboration between two women which has had a significant influence on contemporary Women’s Studies.

And one more drawing this time of Mme. Eugenia Errazuriz to show just how dramatic charcoal can be in the hands of a master.



Eugenia Errazuriz

Sargent painted Eugenia several times.



Eugenia Errazuriz


She was also painted by Jacques-Emile Blanche, Giovanni Boldini, Paul Helleu, Augustus John, Ambrose McEvoy, and Pablo Picasso.