Portrait de Gabriel Fauré 1889

Editor: Here we have John Singer Sargent’s “Portrait de Gabriel Fauré,” painted in 1889. It’s an oil painting, and what strikes me immediately is how Sargent captured Fauré’s dignified profile, but also… there's something quite intimate about it. What aspects of this portrait stand out to you? Curator: Notice how the visible brushstrokes across the canvas expose the labour inherent in artmaking. It’s oil paint, a material associated with the upper classes, and yet Sargent’s almost frenetic application democratizes the process somewhat. He reveals the means of production instead of concealing it. Do you see how the texture itself challenges notions of high art as rarefied and effortless? Editor: I see what you mean. The brushstrokes are quite assertive, especially around the face. So, you’re saying the materiality of the paint and how it’s applied reframe our understanding of the subject himself, not just the artistry? Curator: Precisely. Consider Fauré's social standing as a composer. The portrait becomes an object of consumption, transforming Fauré into a commodity, too. But it also captures an insight to the realities of the sitter that moves beyond societal placement, like a captured moment for longer viewing. In your opinion, is the effect intended? Editor: That’s interesting; it changes my perspective quite a bit. I had originally considered it an ode to Fauré but now I understand it represents Sargent commenting on societal expectation and production through his choice of material. I hadn't really thought about the economics involved in portraiture. Curator: Exactly! I learned so much too, approaching portraiture from an economic, consumer approach. The layering is incredible.