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The Grand Affair: John Singer Sargent in His World

Name: The Grand Affair: John Singer Sargent in His World
Price: 20.00 USD
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Rating: 4.3 (105 reviews)

4.30 of 5 Stars: History & Criticism - The Grand Affair: John Singer Sargent in His World

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Book Synopsis: A Wall Street Journal and Times Literary Supplement Book of the Year | Long-listed for the Plutarch Award A bold new biography of the legendary painter John Singer Sargent, stressing the unruly emotions and furtive desires that drove his innovative work and defined the transatlantic, fin de siècle culture he inhabited. A great American artist, John Singer Sargent is also an abiding enigma. While dressing like a businessman and crafting a highly respectable persona, he scandalized viewers on both sides of the Atlantic with the frankness and sensuality of his work. He charmed the nouveaux riches as well as the old money, but he reserved his greatest sympathies for Bedouins, Spanish dancers, and the gondoliers of Venice. At the height of his renown in Britain and America, he quit his lucrative portrait-painting career to concentrate on allegorical murals with religious themes―and on nude drawings of male models that he kept to himself. In The Grand Affair, the historian Paul Fisher offers a vivid life of the buttoned-up artist and his unbuttoned work. Sargent’s nervy, edgy portraits exposed illicit or dark feelings in himself and his sitters―feelings that high society on both sides of the Atlantic found fascinating and off-putting. Fisher traces Singer’s life from his wandering trans-European childhood to the salons of Paris, and the scandals and enthusiasms he caused, and on to London. There he mixed with eccentrics and aristocrats, and the likes of Henry James and Oscar Wilde, while at the same time forming a close relationship with a lightweight boxer who became his model, valet, and traveling partner. In later years, Sargent met up with his friend and patron Isabella Stewart Gardner around the world and devoted himself to a new model, the African American elevator operator and part-time contortionist Thomas McKeller, who would become the subject of some of Sargent’s most daring and powerful work. Illuminating Sargent’s restless itinerary, Fisher explores the enigmas of fin de siècle sexuality and art, fashioning a biography that grants the man and his paintings new and intense life.

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Experience the captivating world of the legendary artist, John Singer Sargent, with The Grand Affair: John Singer Sargent in His World. This bold new biography takes you on a journey through Sargent's life, revealing the unruly emotions and furtive desires that fueled his innovative work. Delve into the transatlantic, fin de siècle culture that shaped his art and witness the scandalous reactions elicited by his strikingly frank and sensual paintings. From the captivating allure of Bedouins to the seductive charm of Spanish dancers, Sargent's masterpieces capture the essence of diverse cultures around the world.

Dive deeper into the complex persona of John Singer Sargent as you uncover the hidden layers beneath his highly respectable exterior. While he dressed like a businessman, Sargent possessed a rebellious spirit that defied societal norms. His provocative portraits, filled with illicit and dark emotions, fascinated and unsettled high society on both sides of the Atlantic. Join historian Paul Fisher as he peels back the curtain on Sargent's enigmatic life, from his nomadic childhood across Europe to the glamorous salons of Paris. Become acquainted with the eccentrics and aristocrats, such as Henry James and Oscar Wilde, who inhabited his world, and discover the unorthodox relationship he formed with a lightweight boxer turned model and valet.

In The Grand Affair, Fisher goes beyond the artist's scandalous reputation to unveil the lesser-known aspects of Sargent's artistic journey. Delve into his artistic evolution as he leaves behind a prosperous career in portrait painting to delve into allegorical murals with religious themes. Explore Sargent's private collection of nude drawings of male models, hidden from the prying eyes of society. Follow his encounters with Isabella Stewart Gardner and his muse, the African American elevator operator and part-time contortionist, Thomas McKeller. These relationships inspire some of Sargent's most daring and powerful artworks, which challenge conventions and explore the depths of human emotion.

Unravel the enigmatic life, scandals, and passions behind the iconic works of John Singer Sargent. Feel the pulse of the fin de siècle era and the intertwined worlds of art and sensuality. Immerse yourself in an extraordinary biography that breathes new life into Sargent's extraordinary art. Don't miss out on this transformative journey. Click here to get your hands on The Grand Affair: John Singer Sargent in His World and discover the hidden depths of one of America's greatest artists.

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