Gulf of Corinth (from Sketchbook) 1904

Gulf of Corinth from a sketchbook was made in 1904 with watercolor and graphite by Mary Newbold Sargent, a woman who traveled extensively in Europe and the Middle East, often accompanied by her brother, the painter John Singer Sargent. This small painting invites us to consider the tradition of women's travel during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. For women of Sargent's social class, travel provided a unique form of education and personal freedom, even as it was shaped by the constraints of gender and societal expectations. The watercolor evokes a sense of serene contemplation, reflecting the artist's personal experience of the landscape. Notice how the monochromatic palette and loose brushstrokes create a sense of immediacy, as if capturing a fleeting moment in time. Consider the emotional and intellectual experience of Sargent as she encountered and interpreted new environments through her art.