Master Class: John Singer Sargent Oil Painting Portrait Style

Trained on 19 portraits paintings by the renowned American portrait artist John Singer Sargent (/ˈsɑːrdʒənt/; January 12, 1856 – April 15, 1925)[1]. He was an American expatriate artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Edwardian-era luxury.[2][3] He created roughly 900 oil paintings and more than 2,000 watercolors, as well as countless sketches and charcoal drawings. His oeuvre documents worldwide travel, from Venice to the Tyrol, Corfu, Capri, Spain, the Middle East, Montana, Maine, and Florida. You can find some of his works at:

• jssgallery.org/Major_Paintings/Major.htm

• flickr.com/photos/oxfordshire_church_photos/galleries/72157622472765332

• flickr.com/photos/157267975@N08/albums/72157667010175177/

• wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_works_by_John_Singer_Sargent

• lindahugues.com/blog/john-singer-sargent-portrait-technique

• tate.org.uk/art/artists/john-singer-sargent-475

• tuttartpitturasculturapoesiamusica.com/2012/05/john-singer-sargent-1856-1925-american.html

This is the 2nd of a series of LoRAs dedicated to this master artist. The first was his charcoal portrait LoRA.

Usage tip: lower the Guidance Scale from the default 3.5 to as low as 1.0 will render the image more "painterly".

Known problems:

• Sometimes the image will become blurry when the background is very plain. This seems to be an inherent problem with Flux and is probably not due to the LoRA.

• Because Sargent's style is so realistic, sometime the image looks almost like a photograph rather than a painting.

From ChatGPT:

Portrait by James E. Purdy, 1903

John Singer Sargent (1856–1925) was an American painter celebrated for his portraits, landscapes, and murals. Known for his dazzling technique and keen psychological insight, Sargent became the most sought-after portrait artist of his time. His works capture the elegance and luxury of late 19th-century society while offering glimpses into his subjects’ personalities.

Early Life and Training

• Born: January 12, 1856, in Florence, Italy, to American expatriate parents.

• Education: Sargent had an unconventional childhood, traveling across Europe with his family. He studied art in Florence and later at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He trained under Carolus-Duran, whose loose, painterly technique heavily influenced his style.

• Influences: Inspired by Old Masters such as Velázquez and Frans Hals, as well as contemporary Impressionists.

Career and Artistic Style

Sargent’s portraits are renowned for their bold brushwork, luminous surfaces, and ability to capture both the physical likeness and inner life of his sitters. His subjects ranged from aristocrats and socialites to fellow artists and musicians.

• Early Fame: His 1884 portrait Madame X caused a scandal at the Paris Salon due to its provocative portrayal of Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau. The backlash prompted Sargent to move to London.

• Master of Portraiture: His portraits of high society brought him international fame. He was known for his ability to paint sumptuous fabrics and realistic textures with quick, confident strokes.

Key Portraits:

• Lady Agnew of Lochnaw (1892) – A striking, relaxed portrait that captures the sitter’s enigmatic expression.

  

• The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit (1882) – A haunting, enigmatic group portrait of four sisters, compared to works by Velázquez.

  

• Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth (1889) – Depicts the famous actress in full dramatic costume.

  

Later Years – Landscapes and Watercolors

By the early 1900s, Sargent grew tired of formal portrait commissions and shifted his focus to landscapes, watercolors, and murals. His watercolors, particularly of his travels in Venice, the Alps, and the Middle East, reveal a looser, more personal side of his art.

• Watercolor Mastery: Known for his light-filled, spontaneous watercolors.

• Murals: Created public works such as the murals for the Boston Public Library and Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Personal Life

Sargent was private and reserved, rarely sharing details about his personal life. He never married, and his relationships remain the subject of speculation. Despite his fame, he preferred traveling and painting outdoors to the social scene.

Death and Legacy

• Died: April 14, 1925, in London, England.

• His influence on portraiture and watercolor painting remains profound. He bridged the gap between 19th-century academic realism and the looser brushwork of modernist styles.

• Today, Sargent is regarded as one of the greatest portrait painters of all time.