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Tuesday, July 28, 2009

statue portrait

Garden near Lucca, water-colour by John Singer Sargent 1910

”To live with Sargent’s water-colours is to live with sunshine captured and held, with the luster of a bright and legible world, ‘the refluent shade’ and ‘the Ambient ardours of the noon.’”


This has to be one of my favorite water-colours by Sargent. 

( Mind you this is one of 2,000 paintings.)

I never tire his use of color, shadow and the looseness of brush.

I love the way this garden statue has been captured and cascade of flowers 

trailing down.  Did you ever think a statue could be treated like a portrait?

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25 comments:

  1. Simply Mel {Reverie}July 28, 2009 at 12:17 AM

    Definitely one of our favorite artists of all time...Sargent can do no wrong in our world!

    We travel the globe far and wide just to see his works in museums and private collections.

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  2. P.Gaye Tapp at Little AuguryJuly 28, 2009 at 12:49 AM

    pve- It seems Sargent was freed with the watercolors-not the rigors of the portrait aimed to please the sitter- perhaps. I too am a lover of his work- and it is interesting to see them- scalewise especially. This one is lovely.la

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  3. We Blog ArtistsJuly 28, 2009 at 12:51 AM

    WOW...you're a true talent...as I always saw, breathtaking...I very much love the light and colours on the portrait of the statue.
    Char

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  4. Purple FlowersJuly 28, 2009 at 2:15 AM

    I love the angle that he painted of the statute. There is so much to look at everytime you look at it. He is one of my all time favorite Artists.

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  5. Slices of Beauty...July 28, 2009 at 6:59 AM

    Almost edible, lovely!

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  6. pve designJuly 28, 2009 at 7:16 AM

    Mel,
    If you find yourself in NY, then we must go the Met!
    pve

    la-
    exactly. painting a statue, but breathing life into it with watercolor makes it all the more lovely.
    pve

    Char-
    Please note, that this is the work of John Singer Sargent. I am studying his work for the light.
    pve

    Purple-
    I love his work, and his perspective.
    Things on angles are much more interesting.
    pve

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  7. KaleeJuly 28, 2009 at 7:55 AM

    I love that your post is about one of Sargent's watercolours, most people don't even realize what a master he was in this medium and that working with watercolours is so much more difficult than oils. Great post and love our mutual love for Sargent!

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  8. Shandell'sJuly 28, 2009 at 7:59 AM

    Sargent's watercolors are wonderful. A medium that I love. They seem effortless.

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  9. Formerly known as FrauJuly 28, 2009 at 8:08 AM

    Beautiful! I really love statues and fountains now that I have been exposed to so many in our travels.

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  10. SwethaJuly 28, 2009 at 8:42 AM

    Its so beautiful!!

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  11. Mindy Lockard EtiquetteJuly 28, 2009 at 9:00 AM

    Ahhh, Sargent! I deeply admire those who have mastered the medium of watercolor as it takes an incredible amount of forethought and brush control. I find the angle and warm light of this piece so interesting. Thank you for sharing.

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  12. KwanaJuly 28, 2009 at 9:10 AM

    It's beautiful. Love the light.

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  13. MichelleJuly 28, 2009 at 9:41 AM

    Love this...I thought it was your work at first!

    Last trip to Amsterdam, I sketched and painted a statue in Vondelpark...

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  14. LoriJuly 28, 2009 at 9:47 AM

    I love the blue sky

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  15. littlebyrdJuly 28, 2009 at 10:08 AM

    Beautiful colors and unique angle! No, I guess I had never thought about statues as portraits - I like it :)

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  16. Summer is a VerbJuly 28, 2009 at 10:13 AM

    The blue!!! I think it's now one of my favs as well...XXOO

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  17. annechovieJuly 28, 2009 at 10:49 AM

    Amazing!! He is one of my enduring favorites. His work is easy to spot because his style and skill set him apart. Love it!

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  18. A Gift Wrapped LifeJuly 28, 2009 at 10:58 AM

    It is fabulous isn't it? Show us more. XO

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  19. Easy and Elegant LifeJuly 28, 2009 at 1:43 PM

    Statues as portraits... sure... I live in Richmond, VA where it is practically a law that a house displays at least one watercolour of the statue of Robert E. Lee...

    But Sargent's they are not! This one is a beaut. No surprise.

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  20. UnknownJuly 28, 2009 at 2:11 PM

    I've always loved Sargent's work, particularly his watercolors, his use of color and the detail are amazing. I remember my mom dragging me to the Met when I was a little girl specifically to see his works. The background color in this painting is lovely.

    I'm so happy you posted this!
    Amy

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  21. DebraJuly 28, 2009 at 3:54 PM

    Anything Lucca has my attention. Isn't this fabulous? Sargent is a favorite.

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  22. home before darkJuly 28, 2009 at 5:26 PM

    Sargent is to art as Mozart is to music: fluid, facile, genius. I can't imagine having that talent at my fingertips.

    Good hunting with the light studies. What a lovely subject to explore. On the opposite light spectrum. Did you hear the one about Sarah Palin is "all glasses and no vision?"

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  23. JoyceJuly 28, 2009 at 11:14 PM

    I can see how this one is one of many favorites. The colors are bright and rich. I too like the angle he painted this statue. He was ahead of his time. xoxo

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  24. AnonymousJuly 29, 2009 at 12:17 AM

    Oh, absolutely yes a statue can be the subject of a portrait! I have a small statue (about 18" tall) from Italy that was my great-grandmother's. I've been eyeing it for years and planning to paint it when my skills are able to do it justice. (And Oh That Sargent, Oh Yes).

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  25. kadlerJuly 30, 2009 at 9:21 AM

    That's stunning. Love it.

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