Reclining Figure 1908

John Singer Sargent painted this watercolor ‘Reclining Figure’ sometime in his career, we don't know exactly when. What is exciting to me, is that it feels like a study in light, the artist is working out how to model the figure through tone and hue. The colors are muted, with soft browns, creams, and grays creating a sense of warmth and intimacy. Looking closely, you can see the fluid brushstrokes, how the paint bleeds and blends, and how Sargent uses the white of the paper to his advantage. The shawl, draped over the figure, is filled with subtle details. I love how the pattern is suggested rather than defined. There is a sense of movement, and the light shifts across the fabric as if the figure is breathing. Like in the work of Édouard Manet, we see the dissolving of form into loose brushwork, embracing the ambiguity of vision, and suggesting that there are multiple ways of seeing and experiencing the world.