Sargent and Spain in San Francisco

The exhibition “Sargent and Spain,” in its exclusive West Coast stop, is the first to explore the influence of Spanish culture on Sargent’s dynamic visual practice.

American artist John Singer Sargent’s seven trips to Spain between 1879 and 1912 served as a source of rejuvenation and creativity. Internationally acclaimed as the leading society portraitist of his era, he embraced travel as a source of artistic inspiration, often to escape the pressures of that lofty position.

Celebrated as the leading society portraitist of his era, John Singer Sargent influenced a generation of American painters. His personal captivation with Spain resulted in a remarkable body of work that documents his extensive travels from the north to the south and to the island of Majorca. Over three decades Sargent responded to the country’s rich culture by producing landscapes and marine scenes, pictures of everyday life, and architectural studies, as well as sympathetic portrayals of the locals he encountered.

After its debut at The National Gallery of Art, the exhibition stops in San Francisco, presenting approximately 120 oils, watercolors, and drawings, many of which are rarely exhibited. Also featured from the artist’s travels are some 28 never-before-published photographs, several almost certainly taken by Sargent himself.