5 comments about John Singer Sargent : The Early Portraits (Volume One).

1. i bought this book after seeing the sargent show at the met in new york. i have been studing it ever since. mr ormand, ms. kilmurray please hurry. you have brought the works of this great american master to life as no one has done before and i look forward in anticipation to vol 2.



2. i bought this book after seeing the sargent show at the met in new york. i have been studing it ever since. mr ormand, ms. kilmurray please hurry. you have brought the works of this great american master to life as no one has done before and i look forward in anticipation to vol 2.



3. This book is for Sargent lovers. His incredible talent oozes in these pages. I can't wait for Vol 2 of this beautiful production of Yale University Press. I got me a magnifying glass and have spent hours looking at the unbelievably grand flesh tones that Sargent commanded. You'll love reading the background data of these portrait commissions during Sargent's career. I would give it six stars if I could. See it to believe it.....if I could only paint like he did or anything barely close. One of my best of collection. Hurry up Yale and give us Vol 2.



4. This book is such a treasure, it is such a wonderful tribute to an American icon. The pictures are just amazing and the text highly informative. It is truly an amazing compelation of his early work. It is the first in a series of three and they are all consistantly good. If you are a fan of Sargent you will definitely what to possess all three. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an appreciation of great art from a one of the masters.



5. By all means, buy this book! This is one of the most engrossing art books that I have come across. Each reproduction has crystalline clarity and the accompanying information makes for very interesting reading. You find yourself really interested in all the people depicted.
   This is an excellent combination of art and text, without the book becoming a glorified textbook, but still being useful for research. I purchased the book mainly for the art and I am not disappointed! It's not one of those 'trick' art books that promise lush full color reproductions and actually consist of mostly black and white images. The only black and white included here depicts paintings that are lost. If you love J. S. Sargent's work, this is a great introduction to his earlier work and he only gets better!

5 comments about Strapless: John Singer Sargent and the Fall of Madame X.

1. In la belle epoque France, people lined up for the annual art exhibition the way we do today for blockbuster movies. In this case, John Singer Sergeant painted more than just the portrait of a beautiful woman, and Paris didn't like it. The resulting scandal almost ruined him, it did ruin her, and I still want to dig him up and ask him why he put the strap back up.



2. Two very interesting lives that leave you with the desire to know more about "Belle Epoque". Looking forward to another book by Deborah Davis.



3. In a brief, readable book, Davis does a good job giving us an overview of Gilded Age Paris, the social changes between Sargent Madame X's debut and paintings of Mrs. Gatreua just a few years later.
   
   She also gives us some nice background into lives of some of Sargents subjects, and the fraternal band of painters at the time. The only thing I would take with a grain of salt is her 'was he gay theories' some of the examples of drawings she uses to speculate into this show a lack of understanding about the artistic process. I know several professional painters who read the book and liked it but laughed at her 'proof' - the drawing over of a young many with a similar silhouette as Madame X - this is done all the time by artists, sometimes your subject 'turns into' another.



4. This book is about the French-via-Creole socialite Amelie Gautreau's interaction with American-expatriate painter John Singer Sargent, an encounter that resulted in a painting that altered both of their lives. In weaving together the story of these two people, author Davis has created an engaging volume that simultaneously provides a window into 19th-century French society and a biography of the great painter Sargent.
   
   Sargent's decision to paint Gautreau's portrait with a strap hanging off her shoulder at a time when he was trying to promote his fledging portraitist career was a calculated decision to glean publicity on the heels of Manet's "Olympia." There's a saying that "any publicity is good publicity" -- true in the case of Sargent. The strength of his work outlived the short-term scandal caused by the painting, which was so disturbing to him that he soon repainted the shoulder with the strap back on (now in the collection of New York's Metropolitan Museum). Unfortunately, the scandal ruined Gautreau's life, although simply growing old probably would have had the same effect on Gautreau, whose self-worth appears to have been inextricable with popularity, appearance, and youth.
   
   The author is to be commended for trusting her intuition in following a very small detail -- the dress in Sargent's painting -- and finding the mystery behind it, revealing in the process a fascinating story. In so doing, she has created a marvelous glimpse into the art and society of late 19th-century France, as well as an easily-read biography of Sargent, certainly one of our most complex and greatest 19th-century American painters. I have always loved Sargent's work but have never read a biography of him, and was glad to have the opportunity to do so in such an interesting context. A very good read and interesting book.



5. When I was younger, I saw this image in an art book and, without reading anything about it, decided that it was a fasion plate from the 1950's. I picked this book up because I instantly remembered the white shoulder. Davis's book puts the painting in a cultural context that greately helped me understand it. There is a black and white print of people at an outdoor cafe on the day of the Salon in which Madame X appeared. The women are covered in bustles, multiple skirts, gloves and hats. I now understand what that audience found so dangerous about her wayward strap.

5 comments about John Singer Sargent: The Sensualist.

1. The reproductions of Mr. Singer's drawings are worth the price alone. A wonderful collection of work which needs to be in the library of all serious artists. The main thought of the text, however, makes an issue of Mr. Sargent's personal life regarding his sexual orientation which as depicted in this book may or may not be accurate. It saddens me when an author speaks in great authority on deeply personal areas of a celebrity when they never met the person and do not know if their theories are accurate.
   
   Other than that, there is a great deal of valuable information in the text which is very interesting in regards to giving insight into the history involving many of Mr. Sargent's paintings. The reproductions are very well done and the tonal studies in the back of the book are master courses on human form, anatomical structure, body movement and emotional impact.
   
   I highly recommend this collection of reproductions and must say the price is insignificant compared to the wealth of art inside. If you sketch his tonal drawings in your own hand, you will learn a great deal and open yourself to a new realm of artistic achievement. Mr. Sargent continues to earn respect for his artistic achievements which very few have attained.



2. Singer es un pintor a quien debe verse en vivo en los museos; el único inconveniente que encuentro en el libro es su tamaño, esas pinturas se disrutan mucho más en formatos más grandes



3. 
   Handsome and powerfully built, American painter John Singer Sargent (1856 - 1925) epitomized the versatility of the Realist approach. Noted for his luminous portraits of the wealthy and famous on both sides of the Atlantic, he astonished viewers and critics alike with his powers of observation and deft renderings. A visitor to his studio once noted that he had painted his model's scarf with one sweep of his brush.
   
   Trevor Fairbrother has prepared a rich and meticulous analysis of this expatriate painter in "John Singer Sargent," a volume in Abrams' acclaimed Library of American Art Series. In his preface Fairbrother states, "I want this book to reflect the complexity of Sargent's affiliations and practices as an artist. I will try to provide a balanced representation of the man and his art, in the hope of understanding the unusual highs and lows of his reputation." Fairbrother accomplishes these goals admirably.
   
   Born in Florence, educated in Florence and Dresden, influenced by Velasquez, Sargent's career as a portraitist began in Paris. He later settled in London where he maintained a rigorous schedule, adding watercolors and drawings to his expanding oeuvre. His portraits were commissioned by the Rockefeller family, statesmen, authors, and actors, enhancing Sargent's celebrity. It was argued snobbishly "that Sargent was most useful to people with new money or foreign blood who want to buy social recognition."
   
   In a day that paid homage to power and physical beauty, very much as we do today, Sargent knew no peer. With some 100 illustrations and well crafted text, this beautiful volume represents him well.
   
   - Gail Cooke



4. This is my 3rd book on Sargent purchased from Amazon so I might have been expecting something more. It's very well prepared, though I think that no painting should be printed in black and white! I found the few black and white images quite annoying actually. The rest of the book is well presented, but I found the occasional reference and clear bias about Sargent's private life is quite irrelevant for me.



5. After I graduated from art school, I realized I'd taken that massive library for granted, and that I was going to have to invest in my own art books if I wanted to retain them as a source of inspiration and instruction. Of the fine artists, Sargent was my first target, not just because of his exceptional art, but also because the apparent explosion of interest in his work that has occurred in the last decade or so means that books about him are easy to find. This is the second Sargent book I've purchased, and what I like best about it is the quality and variety of the reproductions: there are oil paintings both famous and obscure, lovely watercolors, and a nice collection of incredible nude figure drawings. While it is hardly a comprehensive view of Sargent's work, this is a great overview for anyone with a passing interest in the artist and a wonderful addition to any enthusiast's collection. Highly recommended.

1 comments about Great Expectations: John Singer Sargent Painting Children.

1. The book of children's paintings by Sargent is sold in many book stores. An excellent book, its list price is $60. Amazon lists it at nearly 50% less. Thus, the sale was not so much for a superior product, as for a far cheaper price.

5 comments about John Singer Sargent.

1. I saw this exhibit at the Tate Gallery, London. The exhibit was terrific, though something seemed lacking in the over all presentation. Sargent is one overlooked watercolorist. He is one of the greatest, on an equal or superior platform to Homer. His Valasquez like eye made him a superior artist, though he seemed to get trapped in his facile technique in society portraits. Sargent is an amazing artist. One whose personal power has always been challenged by those that believe technique is secondary. Tell that to someone who appreciates his lively beautiful brushwork and intelligent landscapes. They won't buy it! The reproductions are not second rate as stated previously. They are rather good!The essays are good reading too.



2. I have no idea what the others are complaining about. I compared this Sargent book side by side at a book store with other published Sargent books, and this one had the best reproduction by far. It is even better than "John Singer Sargent : The Early Portraits (The Complete Paintings , Vol 1)", which is by the same author and editor as this one. Make no mistake, this is the best book so far I've seen on Sargent. I'm not concerned about the writing since I'm a fan of Sargent because I'm a painter, and he's one of the best there ever was. Sure I'd read the text, but it's not nearly as important as the reproductions of his paintings. It's all about the paintings, and he is an artist. That's all that matters.



3. First off, you will never be satisfied with any reproduction compared to the original painting. Sargent's paintings in the MFA in Boston looks like the paint was laid yesterday. But I have seen several reproductions of this work, the originals in the MFA and MOMA in NY, and of all the major books I have seen, this has the most disappointing reproductions. The colors seem muted and flat.
   On the other hand, the information on each painting is great, and for specific info on his works in a one volume set, this can't be beat.



4. This book accompanied an international exhibit traveling from the Tate Gallery, London, to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, and finally to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Edited by Richard Ormond (the artist's great nephew and Director of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich) and Elaine Kilmurray (author of catalogue raisonne of Sargent's work), the book encompasses the breadth of Sargent's work as an artist.
   I used this book as a reference while reading the biography "John Singer Sargent: His Portrait" by Stanley Olson. This is a comprehensive collection of Sargent's art from his early works including The Oyster Gatherers of Cancale to later works such as the painting Gassed (a monumental canvas done for the British War Memorial Committee of the Ministry of Information).
   As represented by this book, Sargent was much more than only a portraitist. "He was not a portrait painter who practiced as a muralist and landscapist on the side, he was all three in equal measure, and he gave to each in succession his undivided attention." The book includes: many of his Venetian hours (Venise par temps gris and An Interior in Venice), Paris and the Salon (the painting of Carolus-Duran at whose atelier he studied), and the Madame Gautreau debacle (the painting Madame X). It continues with Sargent reinventing himself in England with the painting Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose, which was a success when exhibited at the Royal Academy, London. It follows with portraiture--many Victorian characters such as Robert Louis Stevenson, Isabella Stewart Gardner, Henry James, and "a gallery of Edwardian personalities." Later chapters include the Murals at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and the Boston Public Library (definitive works as an artist), and Sargent the Watercolourist, especially Venetian watercolors (perpetual architecture, perpetual fluidity).
   Sargent's art is a unique blend of realism and impressionism. "His pictures do not dissolve into skeins of color like those of Monet or Renoir because his instinct for defining forms and constructing spaces is too ingrained." For anyone who wants to see as Sargent sees, this is the book to have. Next best thing to viewing the exhibit.



5. I bought this book on sale at a book store for less that ten dollars. The illustrations are far larger and better than in the sixty dollar books on Sargent I've bought.

5 comments about John Singer Sargent: The Later Portraits.

1. This is the third in an amazing series of books. The photos of this mans work are just beautiful. All three of these books in this series are consistantly good. I am a huge fan of Singer Sargents work, but even if you don't know much about him you won't be able to help but admire this singular talent. John Singer Sargent was an American treasure and I am so grateful that someone created such a wonderful tribute to his work, I highly recommend all three, they are each special in their own singular way, much like the man himself.



2. If art alone can teach the next generation of artists by the virtue of it's beauty and technical precision, Mr. Sargent's work is a master course all students must enroll. He divides the canvas into two distinct color families of light and dark and assigns them both temperatures he adheres to throughout the painting process. His colors fall within five distinct values which in it's simplicity empowers his brush with emotional impact second to none. Each reproduction whether it is in color or tone speaks to a new generation the great truths once understood by art teachers and taught in schools across America. Now, only a few understand these principles and even less master them to the level of Mr. Sargent, Anders Zorn and Franz Hal.
   
   This book is worth it's weight in gold as a resource to teach and inspire not only for students but professionals alike. Let Mr. Sargent bring you back to a day when art was produced by a master's hand and had the precision of technical achievement alongside artistic beauty. Let each brush stroke teach you about modeling form and creating emotional impact that will inspire you to new heights and astonish the next generation.



3. true masters in Western Art history. His use of color in his paintings is unrivalled. I like how he treats his subjects in his paintings. He truly showed their humanity and beauty in a realistic light unlike most painters of his time who employ flattery in their paintings to please their patrons.
   
   This book is well worth a look and a pleasure to behold!



4. I can't say enough about this entire series of books. It is the most comprehensive Sargent collection in the world, and a must for any Sargent fans. Every single volume is filled to the brim with his work and details about his life and his artwork. It also does not skimp on quality--the whole thing is printed in color (which was a relief, because I can't stand b/w printing of colored material--it's a crime in my opinion).



5. first, i'm a painter myself, and a huge fan of sargent's work. in this book, however, the image quality isn't bad, and the color is close to accurate, but some of the luminoscity in color and contrast are lost. most of the images appear washed out and dull. the portrait on page 577 is a HORRIBLE photo. the art institute of chicago owns this painting, and having been a student there, i've spent hours studying this piece in person. the color os horribly grayed out in the photo, a lot of detail is lost, the painting appears to be a mess of paint rather than precisely carved out shapes (which is what made sargent so excellent). this is a landscape, but it doesn't seem to be painted outside in the photo! this is one of sargents greatest pieces, in my opinion, and the photo of the painting was completely butchered.
   
   most other photos aren't this bad, but you must keep in mind that most of the paintings in this book are printed only half or a quarter of the page. everything just appears so shrunken, you can't observe the detail.
   
   that being said, if you are a huge fan of sargent, an art historian, or for any other reason you want at your hand every single piece he's done, this would be a necessary addition. it's not a complete waste of money, i just don't think it is worth more than $25 or so. though, it IS the only book like this published thus far.
   
   also, upon my first flip-through of the book, once i got to the last page, i realized my last page tore from the cover & the binding is exposed. i ordered this book brand new from amazon, so even though i can easily re-glue the binding together, it makes me feel the quality of this book is actually very low and cheap.
   
   unfortunately, i spent an additional $100 on the other two volumes to this collection, and they have yet to arrive. hopefully they won't be as disappointing as this one.

5 comments about John Singer Sargent: Portraits of the 1890s.

1. I have purchased "Portraits of the 1890s" primarily for the images and I have to say that I am dissapointed. Sargent definitely deserves a monograph with better reproductions. I lost my initial desire to order remaining two books in this series (fortunately, I haven't ordered all three as I intended).
   
   The reproductions never do justice to the originals, but this is too much. The lighter colors are washed out (for instance, one of Sargent's most famous works - portrait of Lady Agnew) and many reproductions have yellowish or reddish cast. There are even images (as in case of portrait of Helen Sears) who are washed out and, in addition, have a yellowish cast.
   
   The values on some other reproductions (portrait of W. Graham Robertson, for instance) are compressed to the point of absurd.
   There are lot of preparatory sketches and drawings in this book, but they are very small - barely larger than a postage stamps. If you're interested in that part of Sargent's oeuvre, I can recommend Dover's book "Sargent Portrait Drawings".
   For truth's sake, I have to say that not all reproductions in this book are bad - half of them are tolerable (I didn't see any who is superb, though).
   Being both - a painter and art history professor my standards on this particular issue may be a bit higher than those of the non artists but, generally speaking, I just don't see the point of printing poor quality reproductions in an artbook or monograph.



2. This is the second in a series of three and it is just as quality as the other two. I read the review of the reader who was disappointed in this book and thus did not order the other two with shear amazement. I really recommend that she look at another copy, all I can figure is that she got a poor copy, which unfortunitely does happen even at the best publishing houses. I am highly discriminatory about poor quality pictures and overall book quality and I can assure you this book is top shelf. I highly recommend it to anyone who has an appreciation for great portrature.



3. I own the entire series, and I wouldn't part with any one of them. For Sargent fans, this series is a dream come true. I hope they would publish some "poster books" with large reproductions eventually, as that would really complete the series.



4. complete and lots of colour pics. good price: at the sargent exhibition in paris more than twice as expensive! very happy with my purchase.



5. I think we cannot be deceived by a book on Sargent. This is a so so good painter! This book is packed with beautiful big well chosen pictures and great text on Sargent's work. I was really happy to have this one!

5 comments about The Watercolors of John Singer Sargent.

1. Sargent's inspirations were Velasquez, Hals, Rubens. These were painters who understood the play of light. And they had a worthy apprentice in JSS.He understands that it is light that is the unifier of all his paintings, regardless of theme. JSS painted in watercolour for his own pleasure. (His mother taught him the medium at an early age). His brilliant mastery of both technique, light and sumptious colour are all captured in the reproductions in this book. Like others who have reviewed the book I return to it again and again. Happy pictures by a Mozart of the medium. How could you not buy it?



2. As a watercolorist, this book is a model of technique, and I am happy to have it to study his composition,his values distribution and his ability to simplify without losing meaning



3. This is a book about the watercolours of John Singer Sargent so don't expect to see other than this. It's very well written and illustrated and it coverso all painters life. I also bought a big monographic book about Sargent and this one because I love his watercolours. I do think it's interesting to have if you already have a monographic book about this painters.



4. I was looking for a Sargent book exclusively dedicated to his watercolours. I think the Carl Little book is the best one. The book is very manageable (I prefer the paperback as I use it a lot around the house as well as for reference). The size makes it also very usable, rather than having the large, heavy, coffee table editions which I find difficult to hold. The content is spot on for me; I'm after the images with a little written background to Sargent's life; this is very well presented in Little's book. The quality of the spine lacks a bit, but then again, I make sure I get out as much juice out of this book as possible!



5. My copy is an oversize paperback of about 160 pages. Reproductions of paintings inside are typically page-size and out weigh the text content almost ten to one. It is very much a visual document. The reproductions are, if not excellent, at least decent / good. (Nothing can match viewing a Sargent painting in person. The real colors are still subtle yet just magnificent.)
   By chapters, if you will, the book is organized into about ten short ones. Hard to say more precisely. The first is biographical. A few are housekeeping: bibliography and the like. The rest, some nine units are by topic painted, mostly by region, e.g. "in the Mountains" or "Florida". The former unit contains "Mountain Stream", perhaps my most favorite watercolor of all.
   Why did I buy this book? (Actually, two copies?) I think I have all of the images in at least one other book. There are other essays published about Sargent and about his watercolors, some of them quite brilliant. I've seen better reproductions. It is not a "how-to-paint" book and one couldn't learn to paint out of a book anyway. (Although to new watercolorists that idea seems quite tempting. "If only I knew just what exact brushes Sargent used...")
   Two reasons for buying come to mind: because I can afford the reasonable price and because the book simply is there. The book is there and it is another perspective / angle on Sargent and his watercolors. The scholars of Greek drama tell us that there are only ten (or pick your number) plots, yet still we watch television, read new books and attend movies. A thousand times more than ten. Likewise for me, a Sargent enthusiast, one all-definitive book on Sargent would still not suffice. I have to see each viewpoint / perspective myself. Insatiably. I read them all. Carl Little's book is a good one. And I surely know good from bad; I've bought and read many quickie Sargent books with lousy reproductions trotted out just before the holiday season. This in not one of those; this is the real, quality thing. A very nice book with good if very limited text and plenty of decent reproductions. I'm glad I bought it. That is, bought them. :)

5 comments about John Singer Sargent: Figures and Landscapes, 1874-1882; Complete Paintings: Volume IV (John Singer Sargent).

1. Still waiting for the delivery of Sargent's Figures and Landscapes. It was ordered on 4/14. Hope it will be delivered soon.
   
   Deirdre Dunne



2. The color reproductions are awesome. This books is a collection of Sargent's less known work which is refreshing. Some oils are not as polished as the more well known work which helps to show his technique in early stages---a plus to serious professionals and students. To me, this book provided a wealth of visual clues to understanding his thought process and technical principles. The writing, however, is the typical stuff used to fill most coffee table books. No insight whatsoever into Sargent's painting principles, tonal procedures or color palette. The author obviously knows little in that regard but there is so much information out there the text could have been more illuminating. Buy it for the reproduction quality and awesome collection of works. Worth every penny in that regard.



3. The best book on a painter I have been able to buy for quite a while. As with the other three volumes so far published of Sargent's catalogue raisonne, this is absolutley stunning. Paintings are all in colour unless they have been lost, and the figures and landscapes are breathtaking. The text is anecdotal and interesting, with contemporary correspondence and criticism. This is what a catalogue raisonne should be, and never is - something exhaustively illustrated and investigated, rather than an artist's lifetime crammed into one volume with highlights followed by black and white "postage stamps" at the back (as long as the artist is worth it - and Sargent is worth it). A great tome on a great artist, and unbelievably good value. Go out and treat yourself.



4. A wonderful collection of amazing images. This book will be looked at for many, many years.



5. These books are the epitome of scholarly research into Sargent's work, made even better by the researchers inclusion of intimate personal and professional details. This presents a great background to viewing the well printed illustrations. One should not just purchase one of these volumes, indeed the experience palls UNLESS all three are not bought . One cannot praise this sort of in depth research and the resulting publications highly enough. The only quibble is one of size, given that Sargent revelled in life-size compositions, it is a a pity that pure economics forbid the printing of larger volumes- I mourn the death of the "elephant folios" so derided by librarians.

5 comments about Sargent Portrait Drawings: 42 Works by John Singer Sargent (Dover Art Library).

1. Nice series of books, these Old Master Portrait Drawings from Dover Art Library. Good material if you want to study portrait drawing. Good reproductions of the drawings. No text, only a short introduction from the publisher and titles with the drawings. The drawings say it all.



2. A remarkable bargain and a must for anyone interested in John Singer Sargent or his work. An 8 by 11 inch, less than 50 page paperback. Published by Dover. B&W reproductions of 42 portrait sketches by Sargent. Mostly done in charcoal. Two long pages of lucid and informed, really excellent text by Trevor Fairbrother, author of books devoted to Sargent and several articles as well. The reproductions are competent, but, as always, can be nothing like the originals, one of which I've many times had the privilege of admiring in person. Although here again, any one familiar with works on paper has seen how even the interposition of the protective glass, sadly, visibly degrades the viewing.
   
   The 42 sketches span a remarkable, interesting and even entertaining range. Arranged in almost chronological order, they stem from early in his career, but not his childhood, to near the end of his productive life, when he had almost entirely quit portraiture. Fairbrother skillfully has chosen an eclectic lot of Sargent subjects, well illustrating yet another facet of Sargent's personality. Although said shy unto retiring, Sargent must have liked people, at least the varied types of people. He certainly depicted all kinds. Here from a boy little more than an infant to the elderly and "important". The serious and the frivolous. Talented, self-made artists and performers to the witless-looking heirs and dismal aristocrats.
   
   The book's incredible spectrum of people / types and Sargent's genius at capturing both their surface and their interior, can form the center of quite a game easily played today via the Internet. For example, the portrait of a friend of Sargent's, one Earnest Thesiger. From this sketch one infers quite a character, seeming a person perhaps of manic ebullience. The very amusing facts in his bio on the web's Wikipedia rather bears this out. One learns further that Thesiger was the nephew of General Frederic Augustus Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford, famously incompetent in needlessly losing his entire army in a massacre by the Zulus. (One can imagine a portrait of a dim and blimpy character here. Thankfully, nowadays the British select more professionals for their general officers.) Sargent's jolly Earnest Thesiger further was cousin to the famous Wifred Thesiger, author of the autobiography, "The Last Nomad". Wifred Thesiger was a war hero, diplomat, author, explorer and skilled photographer. Among his other accomplishments, the autobiography describes Wilfred's tireless toiling in the Sharm el Shatt (where the south of Iraq borders the south of Iran) to bring modern male circumcision to the primitive marsh Arabs. (A people so independent in their watery wilderness that the late Saddam Hussein ordered the draining of their protective confusion of still waters and bogs.) Well, odd as it might seem, Wilfred's medical procedures were clearly an improvement over the native's, I imagine especially over a ceremony for teenagers involving a low-banked fire built in a shallow sand pit. But, I digress.
   
   However, that is the point, digressing from Sargent's wonderful portraits. What do they tell us; how can we follow up on our impressions? I'm returning to Fairbrother's book to select another sketch subject to mine for edification. I'm confident because Sargent has been described as having a large circle of interesting and talented friends. Except for those portraits of blimps.
   
   Again, an excellent book at a very reasonable price.



3. The book is great. The ones who sent it didn't package it well. It is a paperback book and it came all bent up.



4. A good book full of great drawings by one of the best artist I have ever studied. The price is right and you should not waist one more minute before you order it.
   I always like to see how the great artist draw, since drawing is the back bone to good painting in my mind.
   I really get a kick out of artist who say they can't draw and can only paint, sure.. Thats like saying you never learned to walk and that you can only run.
   Sargent used to say you should draw every day and I think he was right.



5. This book is one of the best buys i did this year. Sargent paintings are very famous but the drawings from this little book are amazing! Some of these portraits were done in the later phase of Sargent work and show great mastery of the drawing media (pencil, charchoal). There's a small text about Sargent that is very good too.