Sargent Portrait Drawings: 42 Works

Sargent Portrait Drawings presents a digital collection of portrait drawings by John Singer Sargent, one of the leading portraitists of his generation. This PDF edition is available for instant download after purchase, giving you immediate access to 42 works from the Dover Art Library.

Written and introduced by Trevor J. Fairbrother, the book traces Sargent’s development as a draughtsman, from an 1874 sketch made in Paris to the hundreds of charcoal portraits he produced in later years. The plates include portraits of fellow artists, writers, musicians, dancers, and Edwardian society figures.

Book Overview

This 56-page volume, first published in 1983 by Dover Publications, brings together 42 portrait drawings selected from John Singer Sargent’s career. Most of the works are executed in charcoal on paper, and each plate is accompanied by the information provided in the original edition. The introduction discusses Sargent’s training with Carolus-Duran, his early success in Paris and London, and his preference for charcoal drawings that could be made in about two hours.

What You’ll Discover Inside

• 42 plates of Sargent portrait drawings, from his student years to the 1920s.
• Charcoal portrait studies of figures such as Mme. Pierre Gautreau, Edwin Austin Abbey, Ethel Smyth, W.B. Yeats, Henry James, Karsavina, and Nijinsky.
• An introduction by Trevor J. Fairbrother outlining Sargent’s method and his place in modern portraiture.
• Technical notes on dimensions and the original collection sources of the drawings.
• Examples of Sargent’s rapid execution, heavy black outlines, smudging, and eraser highlights.
• Context for his turn from oil portraits to more than 500 charcoal drawings after 1910.

Why This Book Matters

Sargent’s portrait drawings capture the character and presence of his sitters with remarkable economy. The book documents his move from commissioned oil painting to the more immediate medium of charcoal, and it records the faces of notable figures from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. As a compact Dover Art Library edition, it remains a useful reference for artists, students, and admirers of Sargent’s work.

Book Details

Device Compatibility

This is a digital download, so there is no physical shipping. After purchase, you can access the PDF on your desktop computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone, or compatible reading app. The file works with popular applications that support standard PDF viewing, including Kindle apps, tablet readers, and desktop software.

FAQ

How do I get my download? You receive instant access to the PDF immediately after purchase.

Will a physical copy be shipped? No. This is a digital edition and no printed book will be delivered.

What devices can I use? The PDF can be opened on desktop, mobile, and tablet devices using a PDF reader or compatible reading app.

Add this digital edition of Sargent Portrait Drawings to your collection today and study the work of a master portraitist at your own pace.

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