There were crashing waves, decks and rigging, beaches and coves, tide pools and fisherfolk:
John Singer Sargent, En Route pour la pêche (Setting Out to Fish), 1878, oil on canvas, 78.8 x 122.8 cm, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
We basked in the sometimes menacing, sometimes scintillating light and atmosphere, comparing and contrasting studies with completed works, and in the case of En Route pour la pêche, one finished work with another.
But most exciting was finding a painting owned by my former employer in the penultimate gallery:
John Singer Sargent, Neapolitan Children Bathing, 1879, oil on canvas, 16.8 x 41.1 cm, Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, Massachusetts
While I actually prefer the many studies Sargent made to the painting itself, there's one detail I've always loved...the animal bladder water wings! Now who needs plastic swimmies?
That was my favourite, too. I love those little waterwings, like fairy wings on his back!
ReplyDeletePS That must have been an amazing place to work. I've always wanted to go there but so far never had the chance.
ReplyDeleteI was rather taken aback by those! My favourite picture was one of the little pencil ones, Fishermen with Nets.
ReplyDeleteDid you used to work in the Clark Art Institute? I didn't know! That was a favourite haunt of ours - loved the Sargent exhibition there ten years ago - and all our wedding inviations and response cards were from the shop there!
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember a rather delicious deli/sandwich shop in Williamstown too ... all the sandwiches named after actors or film characters I think.
oh, those water wings stopped me in my tracks.
ReplyDeleteOh so glad you managed to catch it. And how lovely you recognised that painting.
ReplyDeleteI was there too last Sunday, absolutely loved it and also picked on the bladder swimmies.
ReplyDeleteOh dear reading this post has reminded me that I have now missed this exhibiton. So glad you made it.
ReplyDeleteSargent paints beaches exceeding well - you can almost smell the sea air!
ReplyDeleteThose paintings have me missing summertime just a little.
ReplyDeleteOh look at those waterwings! I love these Sargent paintings, especially the clouds. Goodness I'm missing the sea at the moment. You've made me want to go there very much.
ReplyDeleteDarn it! I meant to see this one . . . but what a perfect end-of-summer image.
ReplyDeleteWe must BOOK for Gaugin.
And K, I adore your new look! Those boots! So fetching.
Oh I wish I had seen this exhibition - not managed to see it. My daughter would have loved it too.
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