Dimensions: support: 410 x 330 mm
Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Editor: This is Neville Cain's portrait of John S. Sargent. The dramatic lighting gives it a very intimate feel. What can you tell me about the context behind this work? Curator: Well, consider the time period. Sargent was becoming a prominent figure, and portraiture served to solidify social standing. Cain's rendering offers a glimpse into the artistic networks of the era. Do you see how the brushstrokes reflect the influence of Impressionism? Editor: I do, and how that ties into the public perception of artists at that time. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. It's always interesting to consider the public role of portraiture.
Comments
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/cain-john-s-sargent-n03993
Join the conversation
Join millions of artists and users on Artera today and experience the ultimate creative platform.
Painted by the American artist Neville Cain, John S. Sargent is a small oil portrait of the artist John Singer Sargent, showing his head and shoulders in three-quarter view. The sitter’s dark hair and jacket blend with the black background, such that the collar and placket of Sargent’s cerulean shirt are the only discernible elements of his clothing. By contrast, the sitter’s face is rendered as if strongly lit from the left and the effect of this chiaroscuro concentrates the viewer’s attention on Sargent’s direct and penetrating gaze. The portrait is inscribed in the lower right hand corner with the artist’s name and the location in which it was painted: ‘N. Cain | Paris’.
CollectMore like this
