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Lot Essay
Painted shortly after the outbreak of World War I, Tyrolese Crucifix is a brilliant realization of Sargent's virtuoso skills as an artist and an intensely personal meditation on family, religion and tradition in a time of conflict.
In August 1914, Sargent was traveling in the Tyrol when France declared war on Germany and Austria. Without any legal documents, Sargent was detained until November of that year when he was finally able to obtain his American passport in Vienna and return to England. Despite the tumult produced by the war, it was also a period of great productivity for the artist. "The threat and then the outbreak of war somehow inspired Sargent. He was enormously productive, painting eight or nine major oils and a large number of watercolors over the summer and autumn of 1914. Sargent's awareness of the impending disaster revealed itself in works that are overtly religious and contemplative." (W. Adelson, et al., Sargent Abroad: Figures and Landscapes, New York, 1997, p. 73)
Begun in Austria in 1914 and finished in his London studio the following year, Tyrolese Crucifix depicts a local woodcarver and his three children outside of their chalet. The immediate contrast of the war is nowhere in evidence here. Instead Sargent paints a scene of enduring tranquility. In the absence of conflict, the artist seems to suggest a deeper association between the simple rusticity of the crucifix carver, and the possibility of peace, or as least of hope, in the context of the times. The contrast between the tranquil scene and the current wartime tensions suggest to one art historian a much deeper underlying meaning in Tyrolese Crucifix, by presenting, "an iconography that gives visible parallel to Sargent's own sense of confinement and at the same time questions the nature and fate of humanity." (B.D. Gallati, et al., Great Expectations: John Singer Sargent Painting Children, exhibition catalogue, New York, 2004, p. 35)
Central to the image is the prominent crucifix, which is both a testament to the artisan's pride as well as a powerful religious symbol of sacrifice and redemption. One of Sargent's most frequently employed religious symbols, the crucifix features prominently in his murals for the Boston Public Library and appears in at least five of the artist's Tyrolese works. In the present work, the symbolism of the crucifix and concept of sacrifice and redemption are underscored by accompanying carvings of the saints. The man is also carving a second, smaller crucifix, which he holds in his hand. This not only portrays the artisan in the act of creation, it also suggests a humble grace and faith and, by allusion, the possibility of redemption at a time of war.
Stylistically, Tyrolese Crucifix is exemplary of Sargent's mastery of light and composition. The painting is a successful exploration of color, form and texture. Sargent uses quick, sweeping brushstrokes to convey the form and volume of the rafters simultaneously capturing the natural variance of color in the wood. He uses short brushstrokes and impasto to articulate the rough, porous surface of the chalet's stucco lending tactility to the picture that is continued in the layering of paint to express lushness in the verdant field. These textures juxtapose with the smooth, blond wood of the railing to create a visually stimulating picture.
Celebrated as one of Europe's pre-eminent portraitists, Sargent's talent in the depiction of figures is evident in Tyrolese Crucifix. He separates the family into carefully rendered groupings, in essence creating three focal points of human interest within the overall composition. The man is provocatively portrayed in profile, actively and deeply consumed in his craft, the musculature of his arms and billows of his shirt sleeve adeptly rendered. Sargent isolates the more somber girl, framing her between the balustrades, which she grips and presses her face against, engaging the viewer. He uses short, delicate brushstrokes to deftly capture her petite features and controlled lines to convey her stillness. Conversely, the boys, as their father, are absorbed in activity and Sargent skillfully employs looser, more fluid brushstrokes to express the effort and energy involved in their playful struggle.
Sargent manipulates every aspect of the Tyrolese Crucifix to create a hauntingly beautiful image imbued with the anguish of the war and the perseverance of faith. He interprets the local iconography, inhabitants and spirit with his consummate skill as a painter to create a powerful, evocative composition that is both psychologically and visually arresting.
This painting will be included in a forthcoming volume of the J.S. Sargent catalogue raisonné by Richard Ormond and Elaine Kilmurray, in collaboration with Warren Adelson and Elizabeth Oustinoff.
In August 1914, Sargent was traveling in the Tyrol when France declared war on Germany and Austria. Without any legal documents, Sargent was detained until November of that year when he was finally able to obtain his American passport in Vienna and return to England. Despite the tumult produced by the war, it was also a period of great productivity for the artist. "The threat and then the outbreak of war somehow inspired Sargent. He was enormously productive, painting eight or nine major oils and a large number of watercolors over the summer and autumn of 1914. Sargent's awareness of the impending disaster revealed itself in works that are overtly religious and contemplative." (W. Adelson, et al., Sargent Abroad: Figures and Landscapes, New York, 1997, p. 73)
Begun in Austria in 1914 and finished in his London studio the following year, Tyrolese Crucifix depicts a local woodcarver and his three children outside of their chalet. The immediate contrast of the war is nowhere in evidence here. Instead Sargent paints a scene of enduring tranquility. In the absence of conflict, the artist seems to suggest a deeper association between the simple rusticity of the crucifix carver, and the possibility of peace, or as least of hope, in the context of the times. The contrast between the tranquil scene and the current wartime tensions suggest to one art historian a much deeper underlying meaning in Tyrolese Crucifix, by presenting, "an iconography that gives visible parallel to Sargent's own sense of confinement and at the same time questions the nature and fate of humanity." (B.D. Gallati, et al., Great Expectations: John Singer Sargent Painting Children, exhibition catalogue, New York, 2004, p. 35)
Central to the image is the prominent crucifix, which is both a testament to the artisan's pride as well as a powerful religious symbol of sacrifice and redemption. One of Sargent's most frequently employed religious symbols, the crucifix features prominently in his murals for the Boston Public Library and appears in at least five of the artist's Tyrolese works. In the present work, the symbolism of the crucifix and concept of sacrifice and redemption are underscored by accompanying carvings of the saints. The man is also carving a second, smaller crucifix, which he holds in his hand. This not only portrays the artisan in the act of creation, it also suggests a humble grace and faith and, by allusion, the possibility of redemption at a time of war.
Stylistically, Tyrolese Crucifix is exemplary of Sargent's mastery of light and composition. The painting is a successful exploration of color, form and texture. Sargent uses quick, sweeping brushstrokes to convey the form and volume of the rafters simultaneously capturing the natural variance of color in the wood. He uses short brushstrokes and impasto to articulate the rough, porous surface of the chalet's stucco lending tactility to the picture that is continued in the layering of paint to express lushness in the verdant field. These textures juxtapose with the smooth, blond wood of the railing to create a visually stimulating picture.
Celebrated as one of Europe's pre-eminent portraitists, Sargent's talent in the depiction of figures is evident in Tyrolese Crucifix. He separates the family into carefully rendered groupings, in essence creating three focal points of human interest within the overall composition. The man is provocatively portrayed in profile, actively and deeply consumed in his craft, the musculature of his arms and billows of his shirt sleeve adeptly rendered. Sargent isolates the more somber girl, framing her between the balustrades, which she grips and presses her face against, engaging the viewer. He uses short, delicate brushstrokes to deftly capture her petite features and controlled lines to convey her stillness. Conversely, the boys, as their father, are absorbed in activity and Sargent skillfully employs looser, more fluid brushstrokes to express the effort and energy involved in their playful struggle.
Sargent manipulates every aspect of the Tyrolese Crucifix to create a hauntingly beautiful image imbued with the anguish of the war and the perseverance of faith. He interprets the local iconography, inhabitants and spirit with his consummate skill as a painter to create a powerful, evocative composition that is both psychologically and visually arresting.
This painting will be included in a forthcoming volume of the J.S. Sargent catalogue raisonné by Richard Ormond and Elaine Kilmurray, in collaboration with Warren Adelson and Elizabeth Oustinoff.