John Singer Sargent

In my mind, no artist is more skilled in the bravura manner of painting than American painter John Singer Sargent (1856-1925). Known for his bold, precise, economic brushwork, Sargent's oil paintings are simply breathtaking. His drawings and watercolors seem just as effortless. However, such results came from great deliberation, as Sargent was known to repeatedly scrape away his attempts until satisfied.

Sargent was born in Florence, Italy in 1856 to American parents. He studied briefly in Florence before continuing his studies in Paris with Carolus-Duran at the École des Beaux Arts. He established himself as a premiere portrait painter of the upper class, often traveling between England and America for business. His U.S. commissions include the official White House portrait of President Theodore Roosevelt.

Here in Boston, where Sargent had strong New England roots, the city proudly maintains a heavy presence of his work at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston (MFA), Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston Public Library, and The Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Massachusetts.

White House Portrait Galleries Washington, D.C.

I was fortunate to visit the White House during my recent stay in Washington, D.C.. Showcasing the iconic building's historic art and décor, the public tour encompassed a dozen rooms on the ground and state floors. Naturally, I was drawn to the presidential portraits and those of the first ladies. Among my favorites were John Singer Sargent's portrait of Teddy Roosevelt in the East Room and Anders Zorn's portrait of William Howard Taft in the Blue Room. The Entrance Hall featured both President Bill Clinton by Simmie Lee Knox and George W. Bush by John Howard Sanden. I was most thrilled to see the portrait of Ronald Reagan by my mentor, Everett Raymond Kinstler, hanging in Cross Hall. Kinstler's portrait of Gerald Ford graces the grand staircase of the entrance foyer.

My Sketchbook Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

After graduating college years ago, I worked a stint at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. A chief job perk was the opportunity to spend lunch breaks sketching directly from my favorite museum paintings. At the time, most MFA-collection portraits by my heroes John Singer Sargent and Anders Zorn were housed in the upper rotunda, just outside the library. It was my favorite location in the entire museum. Since then, I’ve returned to the MFA with my sketchbook many times. Today I’m sharing one such museum sketch of Sargent’s 1887 Mrs. Edward Darley Boit (Mary Louisa Cushing), mother of the four daughters in Sargent’s famous 1882 painting, The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit.