Chalets, Mürren 1870

John Singer Sargent made this watercolor painting, Chalets, Mürren, to capture a scene in Switzerland. Here, the solid forms of rural architecture are contrasted with the misty mountains in the distance. Sargent was an American artist who lived in Europe and became known for his society portraits. But he also made more informal watercolors such as this one. It's interesting to consider that many of his clients would have been wealthy industrialists who profited from the growth of cities. Perhaps the appeal of this painting for them was its contrast between untouched nature and urban environments. Historians of art can draw on a range of resources to better understand the social contexts of paintings like this. We can study economic data, the history of tourism, and the personal lives of the people who bought and sold art. This kind of research helps us to see art as something produced within a specific time and place.