John Singer Sargent (American, 1856–1925)
The Fountain, Villa Torlonia, Frascati, Italy
INV-6978
John Singer Sargent (American, 1856–1925)1907
The Fountain, Villa Torlonia, Frascati, Italy
John Singer Sargent (American, 1856–1925) →ImpressionismModernismoil on canvaspainting
Date
1907
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
71.4 × 56.5 cm (28 1/8 × 22 1/4 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Friends of American Art Collection
The year 1907 was a turning point for John Singer Sargent, as he daringly stepped away from his successful career as a portraitist in favor of plein air (outdoor) painting. This lively work aptly captures that moment of transition, combining landscape and portraiture in a composition that speaks to friendship and painterly pursuits while also celebrating color, surface, and fleeting effects of light and movement. The couple is Wilfrid and Jane Emmet de Glehn, professional artists and Sargent’s frequent traveling companions. Although The Fountain has the appearance of spontaneity, Sargent was frequently interrupted by rain as he worked. He thus completed it over several days, requiring his friends to pose at length.
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