William Thorne 

John Singer Sargent painted this portrait of William Thorne using oil. Notice how Sargent masterfully employs a subdued palette to evoke a mood of quiet dignity. The composition centres on Thorne’s face, sharply lit, drawing our gaze immediately to his eyes and neatly trimmed moustache. The background, rendered in broad, fluid strokes of brown and umber, contrasts with the more precise detailing of the face, creating a dynamic interplay between clarity and ambiguity. Sargent’s brushwork here can be understood through the lens of formalism, a technique that emphasizes the intrinsic qualities of the medium. The contrast between the defined features and the amorphous background raises questions about representation and identity. How does Sargent use the materiality of paint to convey not just likeness, but also a sense of presence and psychological depth? The fluidity of the strokes seems to suggest that identity is never fixed.