About this artwork
John Singer Sargent’s portrayal of musician Elizabeth “Elsie” Swinton epitomizes the painterly virtuosity that made the artist one of the most fashionable portraitists in late 19th-century Europe and America. Extravagant color and brushwork were central to Sargent’s success, as was his ability to present a refined and appealing likeness. Here, he accentuated the sitter’s regal bearing and elaborate dress. At the time, Swinton was a celebrated amateur singer, and the following decade she began performing professionally. Sargent harmonized the realism of her face and body with bursts of impressionistic brushstrokes describing the shimmering, translucent fabric descending from her shoulder.
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Status
- On View, Gallery 273
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Department
- Arts of the Americas
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Artist
- John Singer Sargent
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Title
- Mrs. George Swinton (Elizabeth Ebsworth)
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Place
- London (Place depicted)
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Date
- 1897
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Medium
- Oil on canvas
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Inscriptions
- Signed, lower left: "John S. Sargent"
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Dimensions
- 231 × 124 cm (90 3/4 × 48 3/4 in.)
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Credit Line
- Wirt D. Walker Collection
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Reference Number
- 1922.4450
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IIIF Manifest
- https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/4749/manifest.json
Extended information about this artwork
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