Portrait of Ernest Schelling (1876-1939)
1910
John Singer Sargent captures the dashing composer Ernest Schelling with a masterful economy of line, letting the dark, scribbled background push his face forward like a spotlight on a stage. That magnificent, waxed mustache is a dead giveaway of the Edwardian era's flair for drama and style! By 1910, Sargent had actually grown weary of the exhausting demands of formal oil portraiture for high society. He switched to quick sketches like this one to 'amuse himself,' resulting in works that feel incredibly fresh, intimate, and spontaneous compared to his stiff, polished paintings.
Views: 5