This Iconic Painting Destroyed Her Life. Here's Why.
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- čas přidán 19. 06. 2022
- This piece is called Madame X by John Singer Sargent. This portrait was the painter’s attempt at making a name for himself. But what seemed like an opportunistic move led John Singer Sargent to flee the country and destroyed the model’s reputation forever. The sitter is Virginie Avegno Gautreau. She outraged Paris when she posed for a portrait that showed her strap falling off her shoulder. In the late 19th century, this was not something a married woman did. Thanks for watching!
#arthistory #art #classicart #fineart
Credits:
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Map from Mapswire
"The pose of the figure is absurd."
Literally a woman standing.
"She's just standing there... ABSURDLY!"
@@jatoarkanen4435 Menacingly.
Yeah, I guess if a woman is not naked and contorted in an impossible position to show all the parts the painter wants the audience to see, the pose is absurd...
@@jasonbourne4784 WIth an absurd menace.
It's an interesting pose. The position of the palm on the table with the slight twist of the arm along with the side profile of the head is interesting. Different
Imagine getting this mad about a painting of a woman, to the point that you say she's ingesting arsenic to change her skin colour. It's a painting, he could literally paint her skin blue, doesn't mean she choked herself to pose for it.
pure jealousy, everyone wanted skin like that back then. You can almost feel the vitriol through the centuries :P
nah I think the critics have a point but the character of madame stands on her own despite it all!
@@rekostarr7149 there's no point in hating skin.
@@rekostarr7149 if you think the critics have a point, you clearly havent been paying attention.
@@Amphitera "pure jealousy"
perhaps, but only because this painting flaunted infidelity.
you can do anything you want, as long as it's private. true today, as it was back then.
"the pose is too absurd"
"It's scandalous"
"Too sexual"
"Too hot"
the painting: A woman with clothes standing with a table
It’s the table’s fault 🙄
@@anti-usernamesaltaccount3623 UGH I JUST NOTICED 😠😠😠🙄🙄🙄
World was not ready for this. Modigliani painted like this 30 years later
God were they dramatic !!
Men ☕
You called her dress satin, but what has always struck me about this painting is how you can immediately tell that her bodice is velvet contrasting with the satin of the skirt. Sargent was a master of light
Agree
Omg yes
Yes, velvet was the first thing I thought of, thick velvet with boning so it wouldn’t fall down. I also suspect the bottom of the dress was a separate piece, probably using a sash to hide where it started. I suspect it was made for her specifically and not something picked from a catalogue - tailored to fit like a glove. That dress probably cost more than the painting was commissioned for.
@@JadeLeaf1980 Good point, but, as you will recall, the painting was not commissioned.
note to anyone of talent: if you have a piece of art that is HATED by Parisian society (be it this piece, Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring", or Wagner's "Tannhauser"), you have created a masterpiece that will outlive any bourgeois.
Dang, I'll keep that in mind next time
Little did these Parisians expect that in the 1920s, their magazines would have no problem showing bear nips on covers.
Shadman is smiling
I just went and watched the choreography from Stravinsky's ballet 'The Rite of Spring' and it's creepy and modern and I can see an extreme reaction to it.
Nice. Now I just need to figure out what Parisian society hates nowadays so I could start mass produce masterpieces, lets gooo! :D
I like the version with the strap off the shoulder better. She looks tired to me, and the loose strap underlines it even more, in my eyes. The painting looks like a moment of quiet and aloneness during a social event (even if fun, very exhausting), a moment where, for the briefest of times, you forget that people are always looking at you, observing you, criticizing you maybe. A moment where you forget to be presentable and perfect and just let the strap stay loose for a while, before you pull it back on your shoulder, straighten your back and join the others again with a smile.
A moment of sadness…
i really like this interpretation, it gives a similar feeling to me as well. maybe, returning home after a exciting but tiring party.
Maybe she was exhausted and tyered themoust time - what people hsve seen as laysiness - but it could be that she was just a besutyfull woman with naturaly very white skin - and she was tyered all the time because of anemia - no arsenic cosmetics.
Anyeay - she looks very beautyfull and elegant.
Like sldo the dress with the one loose stripe more - it's very sensual.
Thats a very interesting interpretation and I think I agree. Somehow with the loose strap she looks less polished, more caught in a single moment
Can you imagine losing everything because of a 2" move of a strap. One that's almost not there at all
The strap slipping at the shoulder was magnificent. The VERY essence of a portrait is to have some kind of movement or kinetic energy. And the strap gave that energy and flow which the society then was too foolish to acknowledge.
I adore this painting!
It’s not hard to see why she would have been considered a beauty. Her neck alone is remarkable. There are different standards of beauty in every age, but somethings are ageless.
Grace is one.
And Sargent certainly evoked that in this painting.
The standards of beauty of that time definitely ignored the facial aspect 😅 what a graceful pose though
I like the original fallen strap version better. I think Sargent was a great painter. I remember as a kid one rainy, lazy summer afternoon, paging through some glossy big coffee table art books in my grandparent's house, and turning the page to this. "What!" It awakened in me a love of women that continues to this day.
I like the original better too! Thank you for sharing your story. She was quite lovely!
It made the painting exponentially more interesting, but it’s still fabulous.
That was your STRAIGHT awakening
Amma rite xD
Of course the original is better! They did not change it to make it better, but more socially safe
Amazing how little changes. It sounds like the celebrity culture of today. She was “cancelled”.
As a graphic designer, I feel the original strap off the shoulder was a beneficial component to the composition; everything flowed to the left, while her head pointed opposite. Adjusting the strap upright broke that flow, looks unnatural, and ruined the piece.
all thanks to the society's standards back then... oh well
@@scrubzy1 why are you booing him, he’s right
@@scrubzy1 you lack the intelligence needed to understand me. I can respect that
"ruined" yeah, sure.
@@scrubzy1 You should take a moment and make the effort to understand. Beautiful art enhances life, and teaches you to see things in new ways. His assessment of the painting, and how the eye is drawn to move in response to the curves is absolutely "spot on".
Look again.
And pay attention to those whose perceptions are better than your own at this time.
It's really sad that such a beautiful painting of her destroyed her entire life
I Never understand white people
1800's cancel culture.
This dropped strap is EVERYTHING. It brings a sense of drama, a carefree sexuality, a sense of dangerous-to-know, a voyeuristic element. It’s also a stroke of genius because it adds an element of off-centre interest which draws the eye up and around the whole image. Masterful. It’s a shame it ruined her, even in free-thinking Paris. I want that dress.
It's always painful to be born before the world is quite ready for the talents/vision you have to offer. This was one of the paintings we studied in Fine Arts and I've always thought it was magnificent.
It is……
The world would never be ready if it werent for visionaries and avant-gardes such as him. It is painful but if that stopped artists (and other creatives) we wouldn't have the most iconic pieces we have today.
@@sanctuary570 i say let an ai govern the planet,and have it eliminate those who try to control it
@@sanctuary570 Well, any change has to face the strength of majority determined to keep a comfortable status quo
It's the price to pay for the transition into a new era.
It’s amazing how classy a woman dressed like this would be considered today. Reminds me of Marilyn Monroe with how scandalously dressed she was considered in her day and age but it would look refined and classy today.
French painting had also risen to a point where even this painting was considered to be a drop in quality. It looks like a masterpiece to us, but to the French academy it was nothing close, with subpar proportions and lines.
It is classy. Just because back then it was seen as scandalous doesn't mean it is. Society was extremely sexist before. And being and appearing classy isn't based on what you wear its based on how you hold yourself. Marilyn Monroe held herself at a high standard and spoke with intelligence and patience. She embodied classiness which made her outfits appear classy. Its the same now.
@@sahanas4443 Marilyn Monroe was a sex object.
"Her whole existence was a search for identity, and her sexual identity was a complete lie."
@@leagarner3675 yes I am aware. But she was and is still considered a femme fatal character due to her being more sexually open but also being a strong minded women who was well spoken and had ambition.
@@sahanas4443 I think there was the public image and the real Marilyn. Unfortunately two different things
Everytime I watch these videos it just solidifies the belief that you should make art even if it makes people mad.
By the way, her ear being pink is not necessarily because she applied powder everywhere else. When you're pale (like me), sometimes your ears turn pink, usually because you're a little bit embarrassed or self conscious (say because someone is looking at you intently in order to paint you, especially if they're simultaneously judging you for not being a patient and idle enough model), but also in response to other emotions, annoyance, upset, etc, and sometimes for no reason that is apparent to me, though my mom who works with special needs children says that she's learned from her training that it can be a sign of sensory overload.
I noticed one of my ears was pink when I glanced in the mirror a couple days ago. All I could figure was it was on the window side of the car and got a bit of sun? I'm ultra pale and usually apply sunscreen to my ears when I pull my hair back.
Or because it's cold in an unheated studio standing still in your lightest dress.
I read in a book that she applied makeup to her ears to make them more of pink-blush color. To emphasize the color.
I find it fascinating that the top of the dress and the pose are so modern that to this day stars and starlets are using it to dazzle on the red carpet. The artist and the model created something really timeless here.
True
@@bloodbonnieking Then you should learn English. ;-)
@@bloodbonnieking The timeless appeal of cleavage, presumably.
@isa You certainly didn't. ;-)
Fashion goes in circles. One moment you have skinny jeans, then ultra baggy jeans as counter-culture, then crotch hangs by the knees, then it goes back to skinny jeans with scandalously short ankle length that shows off your flashy socks. While I am sure we never go back to ultra long nosed slippers, some parts of fashion are sure to return time and again.
Y'know, I had always thought that shoulder strap and its attachment to the bodice didn't quite sit correctly from a clothing-construction standpoint - and now I understand why! I can see now that Sargent originally portrayed that side of the bodice as being pulled ever so slightly downward by the weight of the fallen strap. He apparently decided to just leave the bodice be when he repainted the strap onto the model's shoulder - which decision makes perfect sense as probably only clothing-fussbudgets like me might notice the neckline seems a little asymmetrical for the era. 😀 Thanks for the history!
Also… he may have left it as a last remnant of defiance… bc he certainly saw it.
I noticed too 😎 cool kids club!!!
I always thought so too.
I also noticed it, but thought she could have just been a busty woman... Things can get a little "out of whack", & you don't realize it if you're not looking in a mirror. To me, the look is sensual, but classy as well. Stunning painting!
It has bothered me as well! I have always felt like that was the only flaw in an otherwise perfect painting.
I must say that she's very ahead of time, making her so timeless and elegant. I think to be truly remarkable is being different and being proud of it!
Can we talk about the painting at 6:40? That one's even more beautiful, in my very ignorant opinion.
It did not destroyed her life. She retreated from society for a while but made a comeback and carried on as before. He was more impacted. He moved to London and have to found new patrons there. But it worked out for him as well, in the end.
Right. And even if her life was destroyed I have no sympathy whatsoever. That would be karma to me, especially for a woman who profited financially off the suffering of enslaved Black people.
@@VesperJester After hearing the words civil war and plantation, my sympathy switched off.
@@Aster_Risk Yeah, that was it for me.
@@VesperJester In her defense, it seems she had little to do with the plantation and it was sold very early in her life. She was complicit for sure but she was never exactly a slave owner herself.
@@ezraho8449 It doesn’t matter. See, this is the problem, people like you always to try to downplay and make excuses for evil acts towards Black American people. You would never talk this way with how Germany terrorized Jewish people during WW2. Yeah, not all Germans were harming Jews, but they were complicit and that’s just as evil. And I know that my ancestors wouldn’t give two damns if she practiced slavery directly or indirectly. She still profited financially off the suffering and pain of my people. And the effects of slavery in the US are still blatantly present to this day, and this country has NEVER made repairs to the people they enslaved and killed. So I don’t want to hear the excuses. America needs to pay for its original sin.
I, personally, loved the strap down version. For those of you who have never worn an evening gown, sometimes the straps do fall down. It looked more natural strap down. But to say such horrid things about this painting is atrocious! Okay, so she isn't classically posed. She's real! She's believable in this gorgeous pose. When I look at this painting she looks to be at some kind of party, maybe not knowing very many people, and standing out of the way, a wall flower. The turn of the head is her overhearing an interesting conversation or a familiar voice in the crowd. She's simply stunning in this painting. Sargent was a master in my mind. This being his best work. He saw her beauty just simply as she was. A lot of women could very well fantasize about being painted so naturally and genuinely. Such beauty is beyond reproach.
they probably thought it indicated she was undressing. I like the painting but In those days this was probably the equivalent of pornography.
@@MsJubjubbird oh my god a shoulder!!!1!!!! BURN IT BURN IT NOW
@@superfan364 in those days it was scandalous. You are applying modern values to the values of a society that existed nearly a hundred and fifty years ago. Women were wearing corsets then. SO yes this was the equivalent of pornography in those days and a shoulder strap down suggests undressing. I'mm not saying it's a bad painting but that's where they were coming from
Actually during those times people didn't get hung up on the idea of being painted with their breasts out. As wearing a corset occasionally had that happen. It wasn't a big deal people were more obsessed with the exposure of thighs.
beautiful!
I used to look at paintings and say “oh, yeah, that’s nice, or oh, yeah, that’s dumb”, and go on my way, but your explanation of them makes me want to take actual interest in them. Thank you for putting layman’s terms to these otherwise overlooked (by me) classic pieces of art.
Scandalous in it’s time, the piece is one of the most breathtaking works I’ve seen with my own eyes.
I love that he described her as lazy because she had so many things to attend to beyond merely sitting for his painting. Running a household, attending her kid, AND meeting the demands of an upper class Parisian social life? What an absolute slacker.
(But also, this painting is breathtaking. I'm poking fun at the artist's no doubt time-appropriate misogyny but that doesn't diminish his work)
She was a slaver at Parlange Plantation but don't let that stop you from Girlbossing!
Well said
Exactly what I thought of his harsh/hateful comments because 😍Madam was so strikingly beautiful!
♥️
The rich were pretty lazy back in the day. Hired nannies, private tutors, etc. Let's be realistic. Those who have money have a lot more down time on their hands than those struggling to put food on the table 9/10 times. Last time you hear of the rich having to go out in the woods and scavenge for a bite to eat? Not so uncommon for the poor in that era.
A middle-class painter's wife vs the 1%'s groomed model. You tell me who would be seen as a "busy" wife. Way to down-play every other woman's workload back in the day you sexist bigot.
It was done 20 years after Manets Olympia. The scandals from both are reflections of bourgeoise society in Paris at that time. Both paintings display artistic brilliance. I've seen Olympia, it's captivating and exudes confidence - in opposition to the demure demeanor demanded of women then. Madame X also has a confident pose. Personally, I think the original off shoulder strap made for a better painting. Maybe one day I'll see that one too.
I love your comparison to Olympia! Once you know that Sargent painted the strap on after the fact, you can't unsee it. It looks very superimposed to me now!
@@Art_Deco Very true.
If I'm not mistaken, Sargent was thinking of the impact Olympia had made and wanted his painting to make a similar impact.
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Yes and no. While most women certainly were confined to more conservative positions and representations, it wasn't the case for all women in that specific circle of Parisian Bourgeoisie. And in fact, the exceptions were quite a powerful group known as "cocottes", or "demi-mondaines" (half-socialites). They were, to put it bluntly, high-end prostitutes publicaly celebrated for their beauty, knowledge, proficiency in intellectual and artistic matters... and more private activities. Those women very carefully cultivated their "branding", from social appearances, selection of clients to go out with or, the point that interests us, representation. Looser yet tasteful pieces such as this one were THEIR domain. It was highly competitive. And in matters of art, what they said went. Not unlike today, while they privately were disparaged for their work, they still held social import. Which is funny in a way since more "proper" women of arts actually liked the painting (as seen in the published comments of Judith Gautier).
All in all, what bothered people wasn't the representation of a woman. It was the representation in such a state of a married woman not part of the demi-mondaines. To give an idea of the status and interests of these women: Cora Pearl made appearances at the arms of the Prince Napoléon and the duke of Mourny, Laure Hayman, seen with the king of Greece, and various princes of Russia and Prussia, And even Sarah Bernhardt, whose only child came from the Prince de Ligne, who was tought to become the future king of Belgium for some time after the revolution. Half the magnificent private hotels that were built in Paris came from these women.
1:37 “Every artist wanted to make her into marble or paint” meant they wanted to immortalize her be it marble stone or painting
I've seen this portrait, and it's so very beautiful. It was displayed alone on a large wall... it glowed.
i had to repaint this piece with ink for one of my art classes this past semester. personally i find it to be one of the most beautiful and sleek pieces i’ve ever seen. didn’t know there was such a story behind it!
That makes me want to do a recreation in ink as well, I bet it turned out gorgeous
Miss Murillo, May we admire your version?
@@suzannebyerly9841 would love to show lol, i’m not sure where i’d do so but yeah! don’t expect the work of mr sargent tho haha
@@savannahmurillo9352 😄Just on the off chance. I’m sure it’s lovely. I’m not talented but do admire any and all interpretations of art.
You are using a painting as a case study practice in an art class. Of course it has a story behind it
I liked the quote that he made her in a painting the way that world wasn't ready yet. indeed things have changed.
Have they?
@@Patriot1789 Yeah supposedly for the good of humanity.
You don't make a name for yourself as an artist by making more of what the world has already seen
It's kind of ironic, because things both have changed and have not changed at the same time. A great example being the tabloid that suggested she was ingesting arsenic. Sadly, that bottom feeding zero integrity "journalism" is still very much alive and well even in the year 2022.
Averilllang / I bet the world hasn’t seen a painting of sonic squatting over a minion and schitting In his mouth. I’m gonna make a name for myself as an artist very soon 🤩
I remembered this painting back in college because we had to paint a replica of an old master painting and one of my classmates chose this one. I remember it being huge and I don’t think my classmate even finished it because the sheer size of it. she spent most of the semester building the canvas and frame lol
What a beautiful painting, woman and story. Thank you for your work.
The original one is beautiful. I like it more. It feels like she's just slightly exhausted and non-caring about what anyone thinks of her at the time.
They said she was tired with all the work that she had to do and this makes me feel like it emphasis on it.
On the outside, a stunning woman with elegance but you could see she's slipping holding her priorities tirelessly.
The original wasn’t acceptable back then
Also, the original fits the shape of her bodice. With the strap "fixed" her chest looks deformed to push the shape against the pull of the strap.
You did not mention the palette, which is monochromatic. This is unusual for Sargent, who loved painting light reflecting off satin and velvet fabric, and flowers in full color accompanying his subjects. Like Whistler, who's portrait of his own mother was also of a single subject, also in monochrome, was perhaps seeking to inject a contemplative quality to the portrait
There are a couple works in his 'Jerusalem' series where you can almost feel the heat coming off the canvas, and smell the dust. He was not a fantastic *artist* but he had brilliant talent for *painting* that captured a mood perfectly.
@@theprojectproject01 GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE OF A "FANTASTIC ARTIST..." IN YOUR OPINION.......
FOR ME HE WAS A FANTASTIC PAINTER----RARE.............NOT JUST AN ARTIST......THEY ARE A DIME A DOZEN.
He was a fantastic artist and painter!
@Igrowtowers Permaculture why do u seem so mad?
@@pikachugirl5078 It only makes sense that if you feel strongly about an artist's talent, and someone else were to criticize their talent, you would want to passionately defend them, right? They're not mad. They're defending something they feel strongly about.
Different times different morales ! I love the painting I would have been very proud of it as the artist originally painted it. Beautifully done!
The end gave me chills. Yes, the world wasn’t ready for her.❤
It's confusing to have such backlash from a loose strap when it is common to see naked women in paintings back then.
Exactly.
It was not considered the same, the birth of venus exuded natural femininity and natural beauty, the loose strap symbolized sensuality, which was considered intentionally inmoral, so it was more about behavior.
It was her status as a married woman with a wedding ring. The paintings of naked women (not depicting goddeses like Venus, but rather depicting average women naked like in Olympia) were, generally, of s*x workers.
This painting was scandalous because it was a married woman "revealing" herself in public by the standards of the time.
i think it's mostly beacsue she was a socialette. If she's been lower class it wouldn't have been such a big deal
These were not in the same timeline. Naked people were mainly painted in Italy during the renaissance era. Madame X was painted in the 1880s in France. Rome also had a different culture. During the 1400s, they had public baths that everyone shared-man or woman. They were much more of nudists I guess you could say. And I don’t think women’s naked bodies were quit as sexualized ( I’m not saying the people weren’t misogynistic). Anyway, these were painted like 400 years apart, in different cultures.
Its a beautiful piece, especially in the original way he painted it. Honestly this type of scenario is pretty common. He painted something that was basically almost too good, and people got offended. This happens all the time, whenever a painter is just a little too ahead of their time. Just a little earlier he would have caught shit for portraying her skin not as too nice but with flaws because the convention at the time was to essentially photoshop people in paintings.
I mean in a way they're right that she becomes almost more of a character, a hyperrealistic ideal. Thats not a bad thing, wether that is appreciated though, changes with the times. Rembrandt for example caught shit in his time for NOT doing this. Why would you paint your self portrait with warts and wrinkles, even if you actually have them?
Not only was the painting ahead of its time, the dress's design seemed to be as well. It really looks like something from the century after this piece was made. Like something an older hollywood starlet would have worn.
@@sissysovereign1294 indeed, it’s quite appealing in a classy modern way
To be fair, Victorians and their counterparts were professionally offended. It was the birth of the art critic. It’s how all those classical marbles got fig leaves.
So true
With the public outcry, one would almost think he painted it today.
Omg this is the first video I've seen of yours and I love your analysis and editing and humor! Like all the cutaway scenes were so funny. I saw this piece in the Boston Museum of Fine Art since it was on loan at the time and it was incredible. Thanks and just subscribed!
I’ve always loved this beautiful piece. And that’s before I knew all the drama behind it. Now I love it even more, because I have an inkling of the history which brings it even more alive. If I have learned anything about art, if it stirs up a quarter of tongue wagging and hate as this piece did, get it, because your looking at a masterpiece.
I agree with the graphic designer’s comment about the changing of the strap just ruins the flow of the painting, the artist knew what he was doing as they most likely do. With your in depth breakdown of the portrait you brought so much more to my attention and I love it even more, with the knowledge of why. Excellent work, much appreciated the obvious time and work you put into this video.
It brings to mind a quote by author Terry Pratchett: "Stories of imagination tend to upset those without one." Same can be said of painting or any great work of art.
Very true
@@baronesselsavonfreytag-lor1134 pp
What a beautiful quote! Reminds me of Fallen Angel by Alexandre Cabanel. It was such a masterpiece, but its beauty was overlooked by the Academy :(
@@shouldbestudying2235popo
That creepy guy who said he couldn’t help but stalk her, made my skin crawl from that comment. Poor girl
Why? She literally was using her looks and took the opportunity. It goes both ways
@@rhdtv2002 does that justified his actions? No.
@@rhdtv2002 so, as an example, models who “use their looks” deserve to be stalked? Stop being creepy, incel.
@@rhdtv2002 So what you're saying is that you are a
@@rhdtv2002 C
I was able to see the original when it was shown in Los Angeles. I walked into the last room and at the end of the room on the opposite wall was this magnificent painting. Breathtaking, stunning …
Unbelievable .. such a glorious painting 👏🏻 at least we can all appreciate it
It's so glaringly obvious that the strap was originally intended to be draped down the arm. Nevertheless, it's still a hauntingly beautiful painting. Certainly one of my all time favorites.
Thats another amazing detail isn't it? There's still more layers to this art.
An absolutely wonderful essay on a single painting. Excellent. Thank you. A lot of the scandal about the Gautreau portrait was down to wide-spread French anti-American sentiment - doubly so as model and artist were both American. Sargent's flight to London was a great win to England.
Virginie's alabaster/arsenic skin was achieved with rice powder which had little adhesion and washed off in rain and when she went swimming. She was followed everywhere and reported on openly.
Thank you for your insight! So interesting 😊
So, she was a celebrity back then.
Interesting. I have skin this pale, I wonder if it was not just her natural skin.
@@queengoblin most likely it was, but the rice powder might have made it more dramatic. As even pale people like me have a more pinkish tone and the Transparency of the skin showing veins might make the skin look more marbled/blue/green.
It's basically the same as using concealer, the color is close to if not the same tone as your skin color but it makes your skin look very even and that is very satisfying to the eye.
Yah, often when we point out some past tabloid craziness, politcal concerns are usually the primary factor.
Accusing someone of lewdness is much the same as challenging someone to a fight. If you or no one else intervenes, you lose.
It's a breathtaking piece. Ahead of its time. I love it
Thank you. Sargent was brilliant! The story is sad - thanks for sharing it!
I've seen this painting many times at the Met and it's breathtaking. It's so weird that she was already known for extramarital affairs but this painting was the thing that ruined her reputation. I guess people thought it was uncouth because it, to them, brought their salacious gossip into the public eye, when really they were just seeing what they wanted to see.
I too have seen it many times at the Met. And it is stunning. I was not aware of the backstory, which is similar to so many other Parisian stories about art. People love the drama. 😊
As the old phrasing goes, "you don't speak the quiet part out loud".
Having affairs, in a society where nobody marries for love, is one thing, being open about it instead of hypocritical is a totally different beast.
In reality, much of 19th Century, early 20th Century morals had more to do with what you claimed to be and how loudly you did so, and very little to do with what you actually did.
@@edisonlima4647 it's not really much different today either. It's just the types of claims that have changed to fit the cultural climate. As an ancient aphorism goes, "Speak of the truth, speak of what is lovely, do not speak of the truths that are not lovely."
Funny that she had an affair with her gynaecologist. I wonder how they met?
@@jonahwhale9047 yeah I noticed that too lol
I like the version with the fallen strap better. It's like she was just tired after a very long and dull social event and for just a second let it show.
It sounds like the lady simply had a lot of enemies that were looking for an excuse to put her down.
she was just another pos rich white woman who used beauty to get what she wanted and owned slaves
That's exactly what I thought too. I swear people were really just waiting for that one moment to tear this poor woman to shreds. I feel so bad for her
of course she did. Probably all other women of the day. If there is one thing most women cannot stand, it is another woman who is prettier than they are. And she looks otherwordly in that painting.
@@Amphitera As a woman myself that went to an all girls school I have to say that only applies in one specific case. She was reaching beyond her station.
The lady was beautiful, but she was also attempting to use that to climb the social ladder at a time when the class system was still a thing.
Women worried about their husbands AND their pride since they saw her and beneath them, men felt scandalized that she was married and not as obtainable.
Lets not be sexist and just say they were all awful to the poor thing. That's not even taking into account the snobbery they might have had regarding the artist, a noob made this? It had to be awful, who does he think he is!
One of my favorite paintings! I pay it a visit every time I'm in New York city at the Met Art Museum. It's such a stunning painting to see in person. John Singer Sargent is one of my favorite painters, too! His works are so intricate & detailed. They capture so much of the person.
I never really look at art, but I thoroughly enjoyed learning about this painting and have a deeper appreciation for it
I'm definitely not a classical art person but I know beauty when I see it. Not only is the woman beautiful but the painting is just enjoyable to look at. The audience was just jealous of her. Haters gonna hate.
And that's really the thing here. She was known to the society at the time. Her reputation by that point was known also. To them this was an afront to their sensibilities. Basically throwing up to them a harlot as beauty, with a bit of jealousy to those who'd have wished they were the ones in the portrait.
Pretty odd note that Paris of all places thought the painting was scandalous!
Not really. Public opinion often differences from private opinion. That’s why you’ll see societies with very strict codes of conduct, but in private they’re doing the things they publicly look down upon.
@@tiahnarodriguez3809 true
Same thought, considering Paris and France in general has been the Republic of Degeneracy for centuries.
Agreed! I thought the same thing!!!!
Amazing how real she looks, its almost digital looking.❤️
I think this painting is beautiful and classy. People back then, exaggerated opinions, about things so trivial. I'm surprised, because so many famous artists had came from France, and I had no idea they could be that petty and prudish. I like the painting the way it was first presented. Too many gossiping, ole busy bodies,
that were most likely jealous. She made an elegant model. 😊💐💐
Humanity can be both absolutely brilliant and dumb as hell both great and so small it's dizzying. This story exemplifies that. I remember first seeing that painting in a book about American art (I'm from France) when I was a little girl and I was FA-SCI-NA-TED! I thought it was gorgeous, I thought it was the best picture of the whole entire book and there were many. In the book they explained that the painting caused quite a stir I couldn't understand why...? Thanks for letting me know now! That said I still think they overreacted lol!
@@martasorangeberry Even further, every time has things that are considered especially taboo. So I think today, the equivalent would be a celebrity posting a photo of themselves in an actual fur coat. ;D
A person is smart, people are stupid.
you are so right with that first sentence. there is a youtube video edit of the tbh creature with a SINGLE frame of it that flashes by of it in front of a trans flag saying trans rights and a majority of the comments were focusing solely on that, or talking about those who were mad at it. its just a weird little four legged creature thats commonly associated with certain communities 💀
@@gelflingfay yeah one idiot is already a headache more of them is basically twitter
@@Regina316 tbf, fur coat is probably not enough to cause a scandal.
Now if the fur belonged to an endangered species, that's a different story lol
I can honestly see how the original painting, with the shoulder strap off Gautreau’s shoulder, did bring such balance and aesthetic satisfaction to Sargent’s beautiful painting. What a shame that the artistic shortcomings, and jealousies of the judgemental, ruled the day.
Lol What makes you think it doesn't still now? A canvas with a banana taped to it goes for millions, but paintings that look like this goes purposely ignored because it's "outdated" and not modernised.
@@GamerNerdessthis painting is certainly not ignored as 7 million people clicked on this video to see it. Millions of people every year go to see classic paintings in museums.
@@GamerNerdessthis is a famous painting
Like so many of the masterworks of the past. It was not appreciated during the lifetime of the artist. It is stunning to my eyes.
I love this painting it's beautiful and elegant😍, john Singer Sargent is a great artist I love all his paintings, but this one is gorgeous. ❤thanks🙋♀️🌺
I saw this at a wonderful Sargent exhibition at the Art Institute in Chicago back in the 1980s when I was in college. My friend, an art history major, dragged me to Chicago from Milwaukee to see it, and I am so glad she did! I hadn’t really appreciated portraiture as an art form until seeing these paintings in person. “Madame X” is fantastic, but my favorite of Sargent’s is “Mr. and Mrs. I.N. Phelps Stokes,” just because I stood there in front of it for several minutes, creating a story of their lives in my head-he had inspired my imagination that much.
That's amazing that you got to see it in person! I'll have to look into "Mr. and Mrs. I.N. Phelps Stokes". Thank you for sharing!
That "double" portrait is indeed striking! [I say "double" because the husband seems very much secondary.] When I first saw it in the gallery (it is now displayed along with other great Sargent portraits, including Madam X, in the same gallery at the Met), I audibly mouthed "wow," and a couple of minutes later I heard the same exclamation from someone else who had just entered that gallery :)
To see it in person almost takes your breath away. We saw it in New York and that was the main painting I wanted to see. My poor husband couldn’t understand why I wanted to view it, until we turned the corner and there she was. His jaw dropped. He agreed it was magnificent!
@@Doritstudio From what I’ve read about the history of the Phelps Stokes painting, he was definitely secondary. Originally, it was just going to be her in a formal gown. Then, it became her in the mens-look sportswear with their Great Dane. Then, the husband suggested he replace the dog but remain in the background, which is how the painting became what looks to me as a bright, vivacious young ingénue taking charge in the front and a brooding Gothic novel hero lurking behind her.
Leaning upon the table with the left strap of her dress slipping and beginning to trail about her arm simply makes this work more candid, giving a more relaxed atmosphere to the whole scene and the young woman as well. The young lady's apparent fatigue gives both her and the whole atmosphere of the venue that much more elegance.
Thank you! That was lovely! I enjoyed it a lot!
Omg!! Very beautiful picture!! so sad for people with dark hearts not to see such beauty!!
I was fortunate to be able to see this painting on a regular basis, as it appeared in the lobby entrance of the old High Museum in Atlanta for many years back in the early eighties. I don’t know the circumstances under which it was there, but it was certainly there, and it always fascinated me.
I Love Sargent's ability to visual dance between the looseness, blocks and shapes of color woven then into such tight, refined and polished portions full of such realism. So Delicious. Thank you for sharing, the back stories are a joy.
Always one of my favorite portraits. The lushness of the satin dress is dreamy and divine.
I've only seen this for the first time, but I almost thought it was an old time photograph. Definitely very skilled!
I like how times reviewed the piece with “Sergeant is below his standard this year” critiquing the piece because of what he painted and not critiquing the actual art and skill of the artist, people back in the day cared way too much about how other people “should” portray themselves
Still a thing though. If you aren't part of current agenda, you are the pure evil.
Very astute comment. It’s still the same today. Music critics review differently depending on if they like the role a singer has in an opera, rather than the actual ability of the singer, or the programme being performed, rather than the capability of the performer.
I'm sure they should not have been casting stones, themselves.
how many people nowadays go on to criticize art and books based on tweets of the author
It's still like that today. People get canceled because they don't have the "right opinion" or because they do not engage in the same behaviors/activities as everyone else in their environment. People today lose their livelihoods over something they said on Twitter or Facebook 10 years ago. Everyone thinks they have the moral highground when really they're just a bunch of narcissistic self-serving hypocrites.
this painting is GORGEOUS. what a truth to say it was painted in a world not ready yet!!
Another talented duo way ahead of their time... 👍🏼👌🏼✨
Love this painting! So much said in the drop of a shoulder strap!
It does have a very contemporary feel somehow.
💯
"You recognize this right? It's so famous!"
Me: "I swear to god, I've never seen anything like that before."
LOOOOVE this! I'm so sad the composition wasn't left with her strap down because it was by far a better picture. A+, subscribed.
I agree! I'm so happy you enjoyed it. Thank you for subscribing!
Fascinating, thank you. Just imagine, a slipped strap was far too risque for the time, and had to be less 'suggestive' to be acceptable for public display.
@@changeshifter4852 The fact that the strap was a small thin chain(?) that literally did not cover anything make the idea even more odd they found that scandalous.
@@changeshifter4852 it's hilarious considering old paintings are full of naked people
@@whyamihereagain.a Different times, Different cultures
This is my second time watching this and I can’t believe all this drama for an elegant beautiful painting
Beginning in the 70's i'd visit the local art museum once a decade or so and breeze thru thinking "like that, don't like that and huh?" But each visit I'd come upon a huge painting of an upper class lady and I'd literally be stopped in my tracks; and i'd stare at it for several minutes.
I still can't describe why the portrait captivated me except that it was truly beautiful. I'd mentally note the artist and go on my way...and then forget the name.
Finally about 15 years ago i forced myself to remember the name: Jonathon Singer Sargent
I think the original is risky for its time, yet elegant. It’s truly a timeless piece.
Risque?
Quit arguing and pay attention: notice that the dress is pulled lopsided enough to make the strap flop loosely over her shoulder. 'Nuff said.
@@zeldaf Sarcasm?
Ironic that her extra marital affairs weren’t the cause of her downfall but the image of sensuality while being married.
It was all about appearances in those days.
Love it ! I keep it and watch it when I need a laugh. Thanks!
A beautiful and extreme success in artistic vision. Societal expectations blind the people until those expectations fade.
It looked so gorgeous with the strap falling! It gave the painting a beautiful asymmetry
This was absolutely fascinating! I also really enjoyed your sense of humor in this video. Thanks for the fun history.
I'm glad you liked! Thank you so much
Wow, nice video! Thanks! It was recommended at the top of my home feed.
a piece of art that was truly ahead of its time
It’s so frustrating that people were so small minded back then. Even in our days there are some people like that but it’s better that we as a society evolved a little bit. I feel sorry for them both, this is a masterpiece
I agree with you. I find it ridiculously frustrating that people are so small mind today. One example is breast feeding in public. It shouldn't be a big deal. Another example is how white people make an unconscious mental note that a black persons skin is dark when a white person encounters a black person but we make no unconscious skin color note of a white person unless the color is unusual like how white the model in this painting. AND the same thing happens in reverse when black people encounter a white person. Last example is that women are still told to coverup for lots of reasons and in various situations.
In the centuries before Christ and some centuries after Christ, Roman's and other cultures decorated everything and everywhere with male genitalia replicas. Also humans (men and women) used to be naked all the time then they figured out how to clothe themselves. Of course that was prehistory. Sorry my comment ended up being so long.
You mean the part where she cheats on her husband cuz she is bored AF w/ someone she married for money ? Yeah, indeed, ppl were small minded ofc. I wonder why ppl even marry these days, Love and Loyalty are for monsters, smh.
Small minded back then, look at the comments. People still are.
@@bloodbonnieking
Twitter is nearly just as bad actually. There are people willing to dox others and ruin their life and career forever over something extremely trivial. Then there are also the death threats, stalking and constant harassment that gets normalized by a lot of people.
@@Karuoko I see people are still small minded.
I saw this painting in person. It made a huge impression on me. It was marvelous! I must have gazed at it for 15 minutes admiring the beauty and artistry 🥰
This video was so life changing, keep up the good work
The hypocrisy of the French is unendurable and often exposed. They're happy to be two-faced, as when they ridiculed Georges Bizet to death for writing and producing his opera Carmen. Bizet literally died from the destruction of his career. Only the French attacked Carmen, and it became eventually a much-loved work. It's gone on to be - even now - one of the most popular operas ever. Portrait of Madame X is true art.
That's the definition of humanity in a single word: Hypocrisy. xD
I have a ‘copied’ painting of this painting in my bedroom- I bought it not knowing what it was about 50 years ago in an antique store- it was painted by an artist that loved the original around the turn of the century - it has information about the actual painter of ‘my’ painting on the back- what’s interesting is that my painting is more about the face and neck not what is shown here. I saw it and was instantly enchanted - I seriously can’t believe I didn’t look into what it was- I just buy what I love 💕 AND THAT’S THAT!
never thought I would be so interested in a story behind a painting... thank you youtube for your recommendations
it's the elegant lines in the curves of her silhouette and profile that make this a beautifully engaging artwork.
It's too bad she would never know how famous this painting was to become. In some small way it's a vindication. She was canceled the same way people are now on social media. In a time with limited media, it would be horrifying for newspapers to waste space demonizing you as a loose woman. Dying at 56 is early. Sargeant's career recovered what her reputation apparently did not.
Passing in your 50s wasn't that early, she lived a long life for the time period. I believe she lived a happy life and simply didn't return to the spotlight.
@@nerdycurls6253 That's not a long life for _any_ civilised time period - people often lived into their eighties in China more than two thousand years ago.
truly funny how people complain about cancel culture while the whole of history had cancel culture
@@Sky-bu1jj I was going by life expectancy, which is only just barely 50 for women during that time. Obviously that doesn't mean everyone dropped dead after that ...
@@Sky-bu1jj Yes, but this woman isn’t from China. Life expectancy can be effected by region as well. Ever heard of blue zones and areas with lower life expectancies?
I am not an art 'lover' by any means, words are more my thing, but this painting has always stuck in my brain since the first time I saw it in 6th grade in an art class. I think it's stunning.
literature is art as well, lmao.
Tara Diane, literature and art are inseparable. How could you not love art? All great literature is full of references to art. Same with studying history. Literature, art and history are so intertwined, they can't be separated.
Once again an outstanding video. I learn a lot from your videos and I commend you on your delivery. Your narration is superb, your intonation is perfect, and your serious and whimsically sarcastic delivery is engaging and entertaining. Really well done!
I really love this painting and the story behind it. It was definitely a bold move to draw a dress like that in that period of time. would really want to see the painting irl.
It's hard to believe anything would offend the French.
Well, i'm offended at 00:58 when they pinned Lille by saying "and they moved to Paris" (just kidding, no biggie)
You'd be surprised.
Thank you so much .This story was unknown to me and I found it very moving .I felt compassion for both Virginie Avegno Gautreau and John Singer Sargent .It seems terrible but oh so tragically human that such a magnificent art work caused pain and suffering for both the artist and the sitter.
I believe I have seen this in person at LACMA, Stunning! He is one of my favorite painters. He did a painting called 'Man Wearing Laurels' I have a print of it framed and hanging in my bedroom. I would love to hear a history on it. Thank you
I really love this painting. Sucks that people reacting to the painting ruined her social life. Definitely ahead of its time.
Thanks for this. Really enjoyed your telling of this circumstance. Well done. Seems art will always tell us as much about the audience as it does about the artist. :)
You're welcome! Thank you for watching. I totally agree!