Most of the time, people are the central figure of my art. Studying art history introduced me to famous and influential artists that shared the same passion, and one of my favorites at the time was John Singer Sargent.

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One of my goals for this essay was to research the artist’s socio-cultural influences. This interest traces to ArtHoles, a podcast where the host thoroughly researches famous artists and shares how their acquaintances and life events impacted their work; it is a series focused on the artist as human beings. My research paper goes from Sargent’s education under Carlos Duran to his lesser-known works as an official war artist and muralist. I discovered how his teacher’s admiration towards Spanish realism contributed to Sargent’s style and fascination towards Velazquez and Goya. I mentioned how the scandal involving his painting of Madame X led him to flee from public exhibitions, and started spending time with artists like Monet, who introduced him to Impressionism around the mid-1880s. Researching John Singer Sargent made me realize that artworks are generally studied as crude artifacts, but I have a newfound appreciation for studying its context as much as formally analyzing it.

Lastly, I wanted to have a wide set of references in terms of media and publication year. Most of my citations were published in the 21st century, but I also added an excerpt from the Harper’s New Monthly Magazine written in 1887 to evaluate the public’s reception to Sargent’s during his time. I included articles from sources like The New York Times, general art history books referring to John Singer Sargent, and an hour-long documentary, which was my first exposure to the artist. Sargent’s sudden refusal to continue his famous portraits was frowned-upon during his time, and the views that the public holds of an artist across the ages and media can drastically change.

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            I deeply admired John Singer Sargent’s portraits, and it was interesting to study his transition into an avant-garde movement because of his close network. Artists like him are great examples of how an academic education in fine arts paves the way to explore new styles, techniques, and subjects.