Studies for "Astronomy"

c. 1921

John Singer Sargent

Associated Names
John Singer Sargent

Artist, American, 1856 - 1925

The image shows a full-body illustration of a person sitting in a relaxed position, with their body turned slightly to the side. Their legs are bent and tucked in, with one foot visible. They have their hands raised, with fingers partially extended. The person's facial features are softly drawn, with a gentle expression and slightly tilted head. Their hair is covered by a draped fabric, which is part of the clothing they wear. The clothing consists of loose, flowing garments with many folds, suggesting a robe or similar attire. The drawing is circular within a larger piece of paper, and a faint, smaller sketch of a seated figure is visible in the upper right corner outside the circle. The background of the main drawing is dark, creating a contrast with the figure, while the rest of the paper remains mostly blank and textured.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Miss Emily Sargent and Mrs. Violet Sargent Ormond (sisters of the artist), Surrey, England; National Gallery (now known as the Smithsonian American Art Museum), Washington, DC, 1929, left in storage at the Corcoran Gallery of Art; Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 1949; acquired 2015 by the National Gallery of Art

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1955

  • The Drawings of John Singer Sargent from the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Traveling Exhibition Program, 1955-1970

1983

  • John Singer Sargent: Drawings from the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, 1983, p. 81, no. 64, repro

1999

  • "Sketch Everything and Keep Your Curiosity Fresh": Sargent Drawings from the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 1999

Bibliography

1967

  • Gross, Ellen, and James Harithas. Drawings by John Singer Sargent in the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Alhambra, California: Borden, 1967.

1983

  • Simmons, Linda Crocker and with the assistance of Adrianne J. Humphrey, et al. American Drawings, Watercolors, Pastels, and Collages in the Collection of the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Washington, DC: Corcoran Gallery of Art, 1983: p. 110, no. 726.

Inscriptions

upper center in graphite: Tuesday after- / 26th; lower right edge in graphite by unknown hand: 11.3.8; lower right corner in graphite by unknown hand: 213 [circled]; lower left verso in graphite by unknown hand: 11.3.8

Watermarks

L. BERVILLE (FRANCE) / Lalanne

Wikidata ID

Q64584052

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