The Sketchers 1913

John Singer Sargent painted The Sketchers with oil on canvas, at an unknown date. Look at these brushstrokes – loose, playful, like he’s having a conversation with the scene. He really gets across the feeling of sunlight dappling through leaves. The paint is applied in layers, thin in some spots, thicker in others, which adds to the sense of depth and texture. See how the white of the woman’s dress pops against the darker greens and browns of the landscape? It’s almost sculptural, the way he builds up the highlights with these chunky strokes. But then, elsewhere, the paint is so thin, it feels like a watercolor. Take the woman standing, a soft light blue on the coat, the quick daubs of paint – it’s all so effortless, but it’s so studied and masterful. Sargent reminds me a little of Manet in his casual elegance, but there's something uniquely American about his directness, too. Like all great art, it's both familiar and strange.