Duchess Louise Margaret of Connaught 1908

This is a painting of Duchess Louise Margaret of Connaught by John Singer Sargent. It’s hard to miss the rich black of her dress and the soft, diffused light across the painting’s surface. Up close, you can see how Sargent lets the brushstrokes linger, not quite blending everything perfectly, leaving a kind of energetic residue. Look closely at the way the white sash drapes, the slight impasto adding volume and a material presence that is almost sculptural. I love the way Sargent captures the folds and gathers of the fabric, using subtle gradations of tone to suggest depth and shadow, the way he suggests the presence of light. Sargent reminds me of Manet in his focus on the materiality of paint, or perhaps Alice Neel, in his attention to the sitter's character. But unlike both of those artists, Sargent embraces beauty over an interest in pushing against the status quo.