John Singer Sargent’s exhibition, “Sargent and Paris,” will be showcased at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York from April 27 to August 3, 2025. The exhibition offers a comprehensive look at Sargent’s formative years in Paris, spanning from 1874 to the mid-1880s. Sargent, born in Florence to American parents in 1856, traveled extensively throughout his life.
He became known for capturing society figures with an almost otherworldly grace, helping to define the ethereal elegance of the Edwardian era. The highlight of Sargent’s Paris years was the creation of his 1884 portrait of Virginie Gautreau, known as “Madame X.” The painting features Gautreau in a striking black gown with jeweled straps and a provocative décolletage, which caused a sensation and solidified Sargent’s reputation. Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau, the subject of ‘Madame X,’ was a sensation in Paris, renowned for her dramatic looks, including a Roman nose, a famously cinched waist, and numerous extramarital affairs.
The peak scandal of her life occurred in 1884 when Sargent unveiled her portrait, causing an uproar in Parisian society. The portrait was immediately controversial. Parisian criticisms centered around the wanton portrayal of a high-society woman, with some calling the likeness “a female clown in a pantomime.” The most controversial aspect was the suggestively fallen strap on Gautreau’s dress, which Sargent had depicted sliding off her shoulder.
This small but provocative gesture, suggesting an illicit rendezvous, sparked outrage. After the scandal, prompted by Gautreau’s distraught mother, Sargent repainted the strap in its proper place.
Sargent’s parisian scandal and success
However, the damage was done. Gautreau’s reputation was tarnished, and Sargent, also stigmatized, left Paris for London to rebuild his career. The exhibition also features Sargent’s paintings from Capri, where he found inspiration in the island’s rural life and local models.
One notable work is “Dans les Oliviers,” exhibited at the 1879 Salon, where Rosina Ferrara, Sargent’s muse, is intertwined with an ancient olive tree. Venice was another of Sargent’s beloved Italian locales. The exhibition includes a portrait of diplomat and aspiring artist Ramon Subercaseaux in a gondola, painted in 1880.
The central focus of this exhibition, however, is Sargent’s Parisian period. Sargent arrived in Paris in 1874, at the age of 18, disappointed by the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence. Paris at that time was the hub of artistic production and cultural exchange, and Sargent was at its center.
“This exhibition celebrates Sargent’s Parisian phase and how he used Paris as a base to travel throughout Europe, absorbing influences and documenting his artistic journey,” explained Met Director Max Hollein at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The exhibition concludes with one of the Met’s masterpieces, “Madame X” (Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau), a world-famous work that epitomizes Sargent’s Parisian success, scandal, and complexity before his move to London. For art enthusiasts, this exhibition offers a comprehensive look at Sargent’s early influences and masterpieces, showcasing why his work remains significant and celebrated to this day.
