Simplon Pass. Reading 1911

Editor: This is John Singer Sargent’s “Simplon Pass. Reading,” created in 1911, a watercolor painting now in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. It’s… luminous, almost ethereally bright. The contrast between the upright figure and the reclining one is very striking. What do you see in this piece, from a formalist perspective? Curator: The immediate draw is, indeed, the luminescence, achieved through masterful manipulation of watercolor's inherent transparency. Note how Sargent layers washes to create depth and shadow, yet never loses the vibrancy of light. Observe the juxtaposition of textures: the flowing fabric of the dress against the more roughly defined landscape elements. Editor: Yes, the way the white dress is rendered, it’s almost abstract in places. It doesn’t feel like the solid fabric of a garment. Curator: Precisely! And it is within this tension between representation and abstraction that much of the painting's energy resides. Consider how the composition guides our eye, from the lower foliage upwards toward the figures, culminating in the contrasting postures and gazes. It is a deliberate, controlled movement. Where does your eye naturally go after that? Editor: Probably back down to the dress, because it takes up so much of the image. And the texture contrasts sharply with everything else, which feels muted. It pulls me in for a closer look. Curator: Note the almost geometric shapes employed within the figures, especially visible in the bonnet and the reclining figure's dress. These shapes are simplified, yet the painting retains a sense of realism through the modulation of color and tone. Sargent emphasizes the interplay between line and wash. It’s a dialogue in artistic language. Editor: I see what you mean – almost architectural in their structure. Looking closely, the dress itself almost ceases to be just a dress! I never would have noticed that without your pointing out the geometric structures. Thank you.