Courtesy of Tess Kincaid's The Mag
John Singer Sargent (Florence 12 January 1856 – 14 April 1925) was an American artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Edwardian era luxury. During his career, he created roughly 900 oil paintings and more than 2,000 watercolors, as well as countless sketches and charcoal drawings. His portfolio documents worldwide travel, from Venice to the Tyrol, Corfu, the Middle East, Montana, Maine, and Florida. His parents were American, but he was trained in Paris prior to moving to London.
At the beginning of his career he painted "Portrait of Madame X" which he intended to consolidate his position as a portrait artist. Instead it caused scandal and perhaps was an important reason he left Paris and settled in London.
In The Studio In Summer
I stand here so still
no matter that buzzing gnat
and the sweat trickling
down behind my ear
and how my hot feet have tired
and my low back aches -
my armpit itches.
All these things going on and
you tell me to turn
my head to my left
so you can get my profile,
the tip of my nose,
make me immortal.
August 5, 2012 8:34 AM
Wonderful perspective. Not at all what I expected - thanks for that :o)
ReplyDeleteNice perspective on this!
ReplyDeletekinda glad i am not a model...i dont think i could stand still very long...or do with the mindless little adjustments to get the right light...smiles...
ReplyDeleteNice take - behind the scenes.
ReplyDeleteI read about this too ~ Quite interesting how such a pose and painting was considered sensual and scandalous ~ Nice capture of her perspective (she hated to keep still, I read) ~
ReplyDeleteHaving sat before a class of painters in my time, I feel for the model! LOL
ReplyDeletei can't imaging that these artists had much patience with their models then as even today...and they do sit so still!
ReplyDeletelike it...
ReplyDeleteJJRod'z
I love the point of view you went with and the info on the painter/painting. It made me take a closer look.
ReplyDeleteOh I love this perspective...now I need a back-scratcher...
ReplyDeleteWhat a creative take on the picture!
ReplyDeleteI must confess that I was taken with Madame X, the picture that was his early scandal and wrote more to that, though it works for any sitting model.
ReplyDeleteMy inspiration meanders in and out of the start of things through the research I do and ends up of its own accord somewhere I cannot guess. I like learning stuff. Tess posts an image. I find out stuff about the image and the artist, or possibly something else entirely. My poem stays in a sort of orbit around the image but may not address it directly.
ReplyDeleteReally enjoyed the direction you took this prompt. Well done!
ReplyDelete=)
Ah the pain of being the artist's model!
ReplyDeleteOh I like how you delivered this, and I so know the feeling when you can't scratch an itch! Very cool! I enjoyed reading what you added about John Singer Sargent too!
ReplyDeleteVERY nice, Christopher!
ReplyDelete