The life of the artist, how he scandalised Parisian society and was on the cusp of seismic change.
Whether drawing duchesses or portraying princes, John Singer Sargent (1856–1925) was high society’s leading portraitist. Flaunting a consummate technique, his luxurious canvases mirrored his subjects’ wealth. Yet beneath the dazzling veneer of works such as Madame X, The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit and Lady Agnew of Lochnaw lurks a much rawer world by far. Sargent certainly scandalised Parisian society and the city’s Salon with his frank depictions of human sexuality, yet he was even more modern than they might have feared. This talk charts the artist’s life and his prolific output, showing that, like the era he came to represent, Sargent was always on the cusp of seismic change.
THE ARTS SOCIETY ACCREDITED LECTURER
![](https://theartssociety.org/civicrm/contact/imagefile?photo=gavin_6aaf4539d3494631fbdf4f4030c6700e.jpg)
Mr Gavin Plumley
A writer and broadcaster. Appears on BBC Radio 3 and 4, and contributes to newspapers, magazines and opera and concert programmes. Lectures widely about the culture of Central Europe during the 19th and 20th centuries. Recent appearances include Klimt and The Kiss in cinemas worldwide, and talks for the Hay and Cheltenham Literature Festivals, the Royal Opera House, the National Gallery, the National Trust, the National Theatre, the British Museum and the V&A. His first book, A Home for All Seasons, is out now.
Please contact Gavin to discuss online lectures.
OTHER EVENTS
How did Banksy move from being a Bristol tagger to one of the most recognisable names in the art world?
The rise, heyday and fall of the Bilbao iron industry as fixed in oils, water colours and bronze.