American, Bar Harbor
John Singer Sargent Painting the Schooner Catherine, 1921
Gelatin silver print, 14 x 8.5 cm (5 1/2 x 3 3/8 in.)
This horizontal gelatin silver print captures the artist John Singer Sargent painting outdoors. Sargent is seated in profile to our right, facing to our left. Only parts of his torso, arms, and lower body are visible. He is wearing a light-colored shirt and darker pants. His left hand, resting on his upper thigh, is holding a palette. His right hand points a paintbrush to a square, tilted canvas, much of which is filled with a large, imposing boat, with two light-colored rowboats on the water in front of it. The surroundings in the photograph are indistinct, but the area around Sargent is rocky and contains a low post. On the reverse side of the photograph, is a handwritten inscription.
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Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.