My cousin Michael took me to the John Singer Sargent exhibit at the MET museum last week. I had never seen so much of his work in one place before. Of course the center piece were all of the drawings and paintings of the famous Madame X, dead center was his most famous painting of all.
Madame Pierre Gautreau known as Madame X in John Singer Sargent’s painting from 1884 was born in Louisiana as Virginie Amelie Avegno. She moved to Paris and was part of society there.
Sargent wanted to do something to enhance his name and he asked the celebrity at the time to sit for him, it was unpaid and not a commission.
The original painting had Madame X with one of the dress straps falling off, which caused a lot of ridicule in Paris at the time. Sargent painted the strap on but still, it was the talk of the town. It became his most famous piece of work and he painted and drew Madame X many times over the years.
Originally controversial due to its provocative pose and the fallen strap (later repainted), Madame X marked a turning point in Sargent’s career, showcasing his masterful technique and flair for drama. Virginie herself was a trendsetter in Parisian society.
Emile Hervet, wrote in La Patrie newspaper in 1884, “We regret to say that Mr. Sargent has produced the worst, most ridiculous, and most insulting portrait of the year.”
Sargent eventually sold the painting to the MET himself and it’s had a home there ever since.
If you watch the HBO series, “The Guilded Age,” you would have seen John Singer Sargent in the final scene of one episode. He painted Gladys Russell, who is supposed to be Consuelo Vanderbilt.
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