From the artist's life
Madame X caused such scandal in 1884 Paris — over a slipped strap — that Sargent repainted it and left for London; he later called it his best work.
Source: Wikipedia / WikimediaRealism
John Singer Sargent
John Singer Sargent (1856–1925) was the most dazzling portraitist of the Gilded Age, capturing high society with bravura brushwork and effortless elegance. His scandalous Madame X is now a celebrated masterpiece.
Sargent defined the look of an era; his fluid, confident brush remains a touchstone for portrait painters.
- The leading society portraitist of the Gilded Age on both sides of the Atlantic.
- His Madame X scandalised Paris and pushed him to move to London.
- Famed for bravura brushwork and the shimmer of silk and skin.
Key works
Where to start
Complete list of key works
Works with a dedicated ArtAtlas page are highlighted in gold.
- Madame X (Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau)On ArtAtlas
- Carnation, Lily, Lily and RoseListed for reference
- The Daughters of Edward Darley BoitListed for reference
- GassedListed for reference
- Lady Agnew of LochnawListed for reference
- The Wyndham Sisters: Lady Elcho, Mrs. Adeane, and Mrs. TennantListed for reference
- CashmereListed for reference
- El JaleoListed for reference
- The Misses VickersListed for reference
- Street in VeniceListed for reference
1884
Madame X (Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau)
When the painting debuted at the 1884 Paris Salon, the original version showed one shoulder strap of Gautreau's gown fallen off her shoulder — Parisian society went absolutely feral about it, calling it obscene, and Sargent quietly repainted the fallen strap back onto her shoulder, hoping the scandal would die down.