The Countess of Rocksavage (Sybil Sassoon) 1913

John Singer Sargent made this oil on canvas portrait of The Countess of Rocksavage, Sybil Sassoon, sometime around the turn of the century. You can tell he was really feeling the paint that day! Look at the way he's used these warm browns and golds to create depth and texture. The Countess is draped in luscious gold fabric, but it is really the way the light catches the curves and folds that grabs you. I love how Sargent lets you see his process here, you can see the brushstrokes, the way he layered the paint to catch the light. He wasn't trying to hide anything. He really captures the essence of the Countess, her elegance, and her strength, but it’s like she is caught in a moment of contemplation. Sargent's work always reminds me of Manet; he was similarly interested in capturing a moment, in using paint to describe light and form. It's like he's saying, "Here is what I saw, here is what I felt, now what do you see?". And that's the beauty of art, right? There's no one right answer.