Sargent and Fashion at the Tate Britain

I did something recently that I have not done for an age, went to a gallery and saw an exhibition, in this case the Sargent and Fashion at Tate Britain. I like John Singer Sargent’s paintings.  I have seen exhibitions of his before so I was happy to go again.  There were also other things that drew me to Tate Britain which I might talk about another time.

This time one of the hooks for the show was that they had displayed some of the paintings with the outfits (or parts of the outfit) next to it.  In some cases, like the above sumptuous dresses, or in other cases fans, or hats or similar.  Sargent, as well as being very good at people is a master of displaying fabric or clothing and part of how he painted people was choosing what they were wearing, and how they were posed.  Staging it, if you will.  So as you enter the show you are greeted with a black dress next to the portrait of the woman who wore it and you get to admire just how accurately he painted them.  While I admired the clothing and the skill in which they were made I much preferred the paintings and the clothes look better in the painting.  As with the portraits in general they glow.

One of the issues with portrait shows and reacting to the paintings is that there is quality and skill of the painting but also the sitter. If for some reason I don’t like or are not drawn to the sitter then I don’t really like the painting.  I often wonder to what extent this is because the painter did not like them either.  So there were a number of paintings of vaguely military men, or the Sassoon family which I did not like because I took against the subject.

In the second room there was a very striking woman in a simple, but elegant black dress.  It seems no coincidence that many of the sitters are good looking women.  There are some exceptions of course.  The way in which Sargent renders the folds and lines of the dress, set off by her alabaster skin.  It does look like something out of fashion magazine.  What I did like seeing though was a version of the painting that was unfinished and so it would seem that Sargent does the figures before the background. On his background, they are never just one colour, but mottled. 

The paintings I was most drawn too were that of women with their children.  They were intimate but also seemed to show some kind of maternal strength which I liked seeing.  The one of the woman of the right particularly seems to be saying if you come near my children I’ll swear I’ll do time. The children are all depicted as sweet and vulnerable and again in these sumptuous outfits.  These pictures also show how Sargeant is adept are depicting interiors and furniture, deep reds of wood and the shine of gilt.

These paintings again show Sargeant’s ability to depict pleats and folds of clothing. But what particularly impressed me is how he depicted organza, translucent type material, with whatever is underneath, and arm or other clothing is underneath showing through.  I studied these for a while to try and think how he did it.  With difficulty was my only conclusion.

There were some men in appearance.  The painting on the left, the Duke of Ponzi (possibly not Ponzi, I can’t read my own notes) at home,  is one I have seen before.  I very handsome and striking fellow in an amazing outfit, particularly his slippers and I would love to have the fashion sense and self confidence to wear something and present myself like that. The contrasting red gives a sumptuous devil like feeling.  How I actually feel though is like the gentleman on the right with his disheveled appearance.  I think it is interesting that he was painted by Sargeant.  The disdain for his appearance and the holding of the piece of paper also shows an intellectualism that I aspire too, in a difference way.  As with all good portrait painters there is a definite feeling of the character in there.  You feel that you are in their presence.

Not all the paintings are of society people, although most are.  One of my favourites is this golden number of a Spanish dancer.  You can tell that’s what she is from across the room by her stance, and her attitude.  You can picture her hammering out a flamenco number and indeed that is what she was famous for.  They have her dress on display too, a sumptuous affair with very fine needle work.

Not all the paintings are of society people, although most are.  One of my favourites is this golden number of a Spanish dancer.  You can tell that’s what she is from across the room by her stance, and her attitude.  You can picture her hammering out a flamenco number and indeed that is what she was famous for.  They have her dress on display too, a sumptuous affair with very fine needle work.

We return to glamorous women now and again we see Sargeant’s mastery of painting fabrics. The painting on the left is the sexiest painting in the display.  She is the only subject who I read as having what might be determined an alluring look. Most, if not all of the other sitters are either upright or leaning forward.  She is the only one learning back. And again we see another of Sergeant’s trick with, like the Duke with his reds, we see blues and purples, similar colours but different shades playing off each other.   Then on the right we have this standing woman.  I like her smile like she has heard a joke or seen something that has amused her.  And then after a while of looking you see what it is.  Can you see it?  It is the small dog on the bottom left pulling at her dress.  I love this.  Including it is very funny and makes the picture a masterpiece, and one of my favourites.

Before you leave you see, what is I think Sargeant’s less successful type of painting which is people outside.  They are riots of colour but he is much better at interiors.  Don’t get me wrong these are still good paintings but they lack of depth somehow.  Everything sits on the surface with the figures blurring with the background a bit too much.  

The show is on until 7th July 2024