Sargent: Portraits of Artists and Friends

Rehearsal of the Pasdeloup Orchestra at the Cirque d'Hiver
Oil on Canvas c. 1879-80
A rare depiction of contemporary city life

A major exhibition of one of the most celebrated portrait artists opened at the National Portrait Gallery on 12^th February. I was thrilled to view this wonderful collection of portraits at a preview the previous day, a privilege, as it will be popular. I was pleased to enjoy the space to stand back and admire the collection without a crowd around.

John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) was born in Florence, to American parents, who loved to travel. An unusual upbringing for Singer Sargent and his sister, a never-ending Grand Tour, their school room the galleries of Europe, tutors the intellectuals of the culture rich salons. Sargent’s mother was keen on drawing and passed on her skills to her son. So it is no surprise that John Singer Sargent wanted to go to Paris to learn to draw and paint. Family friends encouraged him and this overcame his parent’s initial reluctance, his father had hoped for a career in the navy.

Sargent studied under Carolus-Duran, his atelier had some affinities with the Impressionists but his true hero was Velazquez.  You can see from the portraits exhibited that Sargent absorbed from his master some of those ideas; for example, figures emerging from darkness into light, and the way Velazquez built up the personality of the sitter and conveyed mood to such startling effect. This works wonderfully well with the informal and intimate way he has painted or sketched his friends and fellow artists. The exhibition also reiterates Sargent’s continued involvement and enjoyment with the cultural ethos of the period.

Carolus-Duran (1879) Paris Salon
With Kind Permission of the National Portrait Gallery

The exhibition is arranged by the places travelled from Paris, to the USA, Europe and London and back again between 1874 until 1914, with portraits, paintings and sketches of fellow artists, writers, poets, many becoming life-long friendships, with Monet, Keats, Robert Louis Stevenson and Ellen Terry.

William Butler Yeats 1908
Charcoal on Paper

Harley Granville Barker 1900
Charcoal on Paper

A most beautiful painting and perhaps one of that was most influential in launching his career, is Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose (1885-6). The colour alone makes me sigh with pleasure. The luminosity of it, the lanterns, the distraction of the young girls, and that sense of twilight, you can almost smell the scent of the lilies and carnations floating over the whole scene. The idea for the painting was taken from a real life encounter whilst staying in the Cotswolds, and Sargent is likely to have been influenced by Monet’s sur le motif,  painting out of doors and recording the conditions of light at a particular time of day. It is so real and vivid to me, that I worry about the Lily pollen getting on those beautiful white smocks, it makes indelible stains!

Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose (1885-6)
Oil on Canvas

Not far from this painting is an oil of Claude Monet at work Claude Monet, Painting, by The Edge of the Wood (1885). Sargent was friends with Monet and this delightful painting was created in his company, doing exactly what Monet advocated, painting en plein air. Notice the application of the paint, swift and accurate in capturing the mood and essence of the day. Sargent often gave his sketches to his fellow artists as gifts, this one he kept for himself, as a special memento of his friendship with Monet, not surprised, it is delightful and most have held fond memories.

Claude Monet, Painting, by the Edge of the Wood (1885)
Oil on Canvas

As the title of the exhibition implies the works are of fellow artists and friends, some but only a few are commissions, that is why you will not find the full length portrait of Madame Gautreau exhibited as Madame X.  It caused such a ‘scandale ‘ at the 1884 Salon as the critics accused Sargent of portraying her ‘as an amoral and brazen woman’ and raising questions about her respectability. One wonders if it was Sargent or her husband, banker Pierre Gautreau who played the ‘agent provocateur’, or perhaps Madame herself?

Sargent left for England shortly after the exhibition, heading for calmer waters and in no time at all, a wave of commissions. The reason I mention an non-exhibited work at all, is it brings me to oil on panel of Judith Gautier. Sargent had met Judith Gautier while in Brittany painting Madame X. One wonders if he did not become infatuated with Judith, as he created a series of portraits of her in oil, watercolour, pen and ink wash and pencil. All non-commissioned works and presented to her as gifts. The backstory to this meeting is well worth following up, but now is not the place. The lady was a Writer, Orientalist, Musicologist and much else besides and although Sargent was only a young man of 27 they had much in common, including Wagner, Judith as his last lover, and Sargent’s love of his music.

La Carmencity (1890)
Oil on Canvas
By kind permission of the National Portrait Gallery

Sargent met some of the great celebrities of the time, drawn to their exotic looks, strong characters in life and on stage, their beauty and talented performances. This is well portrayed in La Carmencita (1890), a flamenco dancer, who looks ready spring into action at any moment..  Sargent captures her restless and exotic spirit.

We move on to the calm and elegant Ada Rehan, not in costume, but in dazzling shimmering satin; the Irish actress famous, for her role as Katherine, in Taming of the Shrew. A contrast to the costumed painting of Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth across the room, a dazzling outfit and portrait befitting such a renowned actress. Shakespearian purists will realise that the crown is never placed on Lady Macbeth’s head in the text or performance, Sargent uses artistic licence to create a dramatic motif to express Ellen Terry’s great talent in performing this exacting role.

Ada Rehan (1894)
Oil on Canvas

Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth
Oil on Canvas

At the Exposition Universelle held in Paris in 1889 Sargent was fascinated by the re-creation of a Javanese Village where a performance of a symbolic dance was enacted. A series of studies of the dancers came from this and he produced three life-size, full-length paintings. A Javanese Dancing Girl is a move away from the wealthy or aristocratic ladies and gents he usually painted. Can you see the third hand? Capturing the rhythmic flick of the wrist perhaps.

A Javanese Dancing Girl (1889)
Oil on Canvas

I have gone on long enough, the exhibition is now open and on until 25 May 2015. For those readers of mine in the US, the exhibition will go on tour to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York from 30^th June – 4^th October 2015.

The exhibition is curated by Richard Ormond CBE (John Singer Sargent was his great-uncle), and he is also the co-author of the catalogue raisonne Sargent: Portraits of Artists and Friends (price £40). 

There are several books on Sargent in the lovely bookshop and if you cannot stretch to the big book, I found a small one, The Age of Elegance Paintings of John Singer Sargent (£5.95). It features some of the paintings in the exhibition plus a neat little biography at the end.

At the preview talk given by Richard Ormond I had the pleasure of standing next to A N Wilson, you can hear his views on the exhibition on Front Row. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b051s4rd.

For those of you who cannot resist a peek at Madame Gautreau as Madame X, please see links below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8fYkGqAPkY 

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/16.53

Group with Parasols (c1904-5)
With kind permission of the National Portrait Gallery

The Temple Church & Magna Carta

12^th Annual Derek Melluish Lecture

Monday 2 February 2015

Photograph by MissB (c)

The Melluish Lecture is an important event in the City of London Guides' Calendar as well as an occasion which encourages the Masters of the Worshipful Companies to gather in great numbers. It was opportune that I had a meeting with one just before Evensong and was invited to join their number on the front row. 

The lecture is always held in a choice venue somewhere in the City, but The Temple will prove to be a hard act to follow. The site that started as an orchard was to bear the foundations of the Round of the Temple Church, in place by 1162. The Round also evokes two of the most scared buildings in medieval Christiandom, the other the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem (the site of Jesus’ own burial). Awe inspiring and sublime, its essence is palpable.

Before the lecture we are invited to join together for Choral Evensong – Candlemas – The Presentation of Christ to the Temple. It was also the anniversary of the Consecration of the Round Church by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Candlemas 1185. This may not be of interest to anyone other than those of us immersed hopelessly in the joy of historical research but, Heraculius actually visited here, and walked the aisles.  

Fleet Street, The Temple (from Aggas Map 1563
(Old and New London 1897)

The congregation was seated in the chancel, which was built by the Templars as the burial-chapel of Henry III and his Queen and was consecrated in the King’s presence in 1219.

An excellent service with enthusiastic hymn singing led by the magnificent choir. The highlight was The Anthem, sung by the choir to music by Francesco Cavalli (1602-1676). So moving I sure there was not dry eye in the Church once the last note floated away.

(Picture  Old and New London 1897)

The service was taken by Reverend Robin Griffiths-Jones, Master of the Temple who was also giving the Lecture, no surprise as to the subject then, ‘The Temple and Magna Carta’.  William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke was one of the most powerful knights of King John’s reign, who had remained loyal to the King throughout the crisis of 1214-15. It was Marshal who ensured the sealing of the Magna Carta by the King. Marshal became regent to the boy-King Henry III and made sure that the powers bestowed to the country at large were upheld in 1216 and again 1217.  Henry III’s own re-issue of the Charter in 1225 ensured its survival for ever after.

William Marshal and his close friend Aymeric, Master of the Temple died within days of each other and were buried side by side in the Temple Church. The effigy of William still lies there next to his son and heir William Marshal II. The Victoria and Albert Museum have lent four C19th effigy-casts of the protagonists of the Magna Carta – King John, William Marshall,  William Marshall II and of Henry III. They are cast in bronze and show the ancient effigies before the damage inflicted in 1941.

(Old and New London 1897)

The lecture was brilliant, the Reverend Robin Griffiths-Jones deserves his own TV show. What a raconteur! He does of course know everything there is to know about his subject(s) and is highly entertaining in his delivery.  He also knew he could not get away without mentioning the ‘Da Vinci Code’ and its impact on the visitor numbers. As he said ‘How could he not be involved when people came in droves wanting questions answered about Jesus?’  The Reverend has also written a short but detailed book about all that is not 'quite right' with Dan Brown’s book.

I would recommend that you make a note to:

• Visit The Temple Church soonest – Entry £5
• Go to a service – Evensong
• Buy the brochure and the book!
• Attend any lecture that the Reverend Robin Griffiths-Jones may give
• Pay to visit the church when the Reverend gives a tour

See the website for more details http://www.templechurch.com/  There is also a detailed history on the site which is well worth a read.

The Round
Photograph taken by Miss B (c)

Guildhall Art Gallery, City of London, EC2V 5AE

15th Anniversary Relaunch

On Thursday I had the pleasure of viewing the 'transformation' of the Guildhall Art Gallery which involves a radical rehang, the first in 15 years, extended wall space, specially designed LCD lighting, as well as new interpretations and branding by introducing original 'icon' designs, text panels and new captions. The gallery is open to the public from 16th January 2015.

The Guildhall Art Gallery collections originate from 1670 and today total 4500 artworks from bequests, commissions and acquisitions over hundreds of years. It comes as no surprise that the bulk of the collection consists of internationally renowned Victorian art and views of London, within and without the Square Mile. On display are some of the first acquisitions from C17th and the most recent Mark Titchner Plenty and Progress 2012.

The main gallery (see banner and photograph above) displays the Victorian paintings following themes on every day subjects, which occupy us to this day, which suggests this style of art is never really 'out of date'. In the explanation given by Julia Dudkiewicz (Principal Curator) she talks of the dichotomy of the themes, material wealth and faith, reality and imagination, work and leisure, and this is all cleverly presented on the gorgeous 'Aesthetic Movement Green' walls. The interpretations for each area are clear and concise guiding you to the next theme, thought provoking and encouraging you to engage with this innovative approach to viewing the depiction of contemporary life in C19th.

The increase of wall surface area has allowed for the overall number of paintings on show to be doubled! I also love the use of chains and close hang reminiscent of the original Victorian exhibition style , yet avoiding the hang 'em close, hang 'em high.

In the Ground Floor Gallery (see above) you have the 'City' where you will find the newest acquisition on the right. Moving down to the Long Gallery you will be on the theme of 'Outside' where you will find Landscapes of Sir Matthew Smith, a particular favourite of mine, his lesser known works. As a shell-shocked patient his psychiatrist suggested he use 'rounder' shapes in his work, seek and you will find in these colourful paintings. Also do not miss Smith's, never displayed before, sketches of WWI prisoners-of-war in a (temporary) exhibition leading off the 'London' Gallery. 

In the Undercroft Gallery - 'Picturing London: 400 Years' - Always a favourite with the City Guides and I am pleased to report that one of our most useful 'tools' to describe civic and the ceremonial in the City is still presented -  The Swearing in of Alderman Nathaniel Newman 1782 - William Miller. With another interesting piece displaying the glorious pageantry of The Lord Mayor Proceeding to Westminster Hall 1789 - Richard Paton, figures by Francis Wheatley RA. Also the 9th November painting is also on display.

Victorian female artists (not English) are also represented, look out for Elizabeth Stanhope Forbes and Marie Anne Stokes in the Main Gallery. 

The rehang has been conceived and developed by Julia Dudkiewicz (below left) working with Exhibitions Curator Katty Pearce (right), logistics by Jeremy Johnson. The new branding developed in collaboration with Crescent Lodge Design, and the lighting by Nicholas Belfield of DPA Lighting Design.

Just to remind you, Tower Bridge. A Celebration of 120 Years. 1894-2014 Exhibition bringing together 80 rare and exceptional images of the bridge from every decade of its history is on show until 26 April 2015 - Free entry.

Also, if you have not done so already, visit the new Heritage Gallery displaying the City of London's very own copy of the Magna Carta. Plus the Amphitheatre accessed via the Undercroft Gallery.

Special thanks to Chloe Nelkin Consulting for professional photographs of GAG.

How do you protect works of art during renovations - read on.

http://www.museumsandheritage.com/advisor/news/item/3587