When I last visited the Clark Art Institute over a week ago, my wife and I perused their gift shop, naturally, with our masks on. This handsome book stood out amongst all the other books on hand. I don't know if it is the black and white cover or the portrait but it simply drew my attention.
While sketching countless portraits of faces and figures myself, often in pencil from magazines or in person I felt like I could relate to John Singer Sargent. However, John Singer Sargent: Portraits in Charcoal by Richard Ormond is an impressive sample of one area of Sargent's productivity. It is hard for me to fathom that he did charcoal portraits of some seven hundred and fifty sitters. Most of his charcoal portraits referenced in the book are around 18" x 24" which is an impressive size that would command attention on a wall when framed.
On the same day when we were at the Clark Art Institute I learned that Sargent painted over two thousand watercolors in addition to all those large oil portraits and murals that he is known for. In contrast, Winslow Homer painted I understood around seven hundred and fifty watercolors.
In conclusion, I have so much admiration for the quality of John Singer Sargent's artistic skills but maybe even more respect for the quantity of work he produced and so much of it while traveling.
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