John Singer Sargent was an American painter regarded as one of the greatest portrait artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. 

Sargent was celebrated for his brilliant brushwork, confident compositions, and psychological insight. While best known for grand society portraits, he also produced remarkable landscapes, watercolors, and murals. His ability to balance realism with painterly freedom set him apart from many of his contemporaries.

Most Popular Painting: Portrait of Madame X (1883–1884)

Sargent’s most famous and influential painting is Portrait of Madame X, depicting Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau, a Parisian socialite. When first exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1884, the portrait caused a scandal due to its bold pose and originally fallen shoulder strap, which was considered provocative at the time.

The stark contrast between the sitter’s pale skin and dark background, combined with Sargent’s refined elegance and dramatic simplicity, exemplifies his extraordinary technical skill and modern sensibility.