Mrs. Thayer’s Garden, Massachusetts c. 1885

John Singer Sargent made this watercolor, Mrs. Thayer’s Garden, Massachusetts. Sargent was known for his portraits of wealthy elites, but also for his landscapes and garden scenes. This painting shows us the garden of a private estate at a time when the American upper class was consolidating its power and wealth. As the industrial revolution transformed America, the wealthy built elaborate estates as symbols of their status. The garden became a carefully designed space, a showcase of cultivated nature. Here, Sargent captures the controlled yet picturesque garden with its stone fountain, potted plants, and manicured hedges. It reflects a desire to create an idyllic retreat, removed from the social unrest and labor struggles of the time. Art historians use sources such as social surveys, historical records, and garden design manuals to understand the social context of such works. By looking into these materials, we can examine how art reflected and reinforced the social structures of its time.