Mrs. Gardner in White 1922

This is John Singer Sargent’s watercolour of Mrs. Gardner in White, and what’s so striking is how Sargent captures her essence with such delicate strokes. It feels like a fleeting impression, a moment caught in time. The way Sargent uses watercolour is incredible. Look at how he builds up the layers of white in Mrs. Gardner's clothing. The washes are so thin, almost transparent, allowing the light to pass through. You can see the paper beneath, giving it a luminous quality. Then there are those darker, more decisive marks defining the folds of the fabric. It’s a beautiful contrast that creates a sense of depth. Notice that red cushion behind her, those little stripes and how they interact with the white… the whole piece is so sensitive, so atmospheric. Sargent was a master of capturing light and form with incredible economy. I think he would have admired the work of someone like Manet, who also had a way of suggesting form without over-defining it. It's all about suggestion, leaving space for the viewer to fill in the gaps.