#96 The Genius of John Singer Sargent: A Conversation with Nicholas Todhunter

Saturday, February 1st Live on Zoom

7pm Italy, 6pm London, 10am Los Angeles, 11am Phoenix, 1pm New York

“Every time I paint a portrait I lose a friend.”

This special edition of Studiolo is dedicated to Florentine born John Singer Sargent, on the 100th anniversary of his death. He died, aged 69 in London, on April 14, 1925.

Born in Italy, to American parents, he was trained in Paris before moving to London, living most of his life in Europe. He enjoyed international acclaim as a portrait painter. An early submission to the Paris Salon, his Portrait of Madame X (1884) was intended to consolidate his position as a society painter in Paris but instead resulted in scandal. Considered today one of his best works, he described it in 1915, writing to a friend,  "I suppose it is the best thing I have done."

During the year following the scandal, Sargent departed for England, where he continued a successful career as a portrait artist. Considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation,” he created roughly 900 oil paintings and more than 2,000 watercolors, as well as countless sketches and charcoal drawings. His oeuvre documents worldwide travel, from Europe to the Middle East, and across the United States. In this talk we will especially explore Sargent’s connection to Venice, and his friendship with Isabella Stewart Gardner, who posed for him at the age of 47, and often welcomed him in her Venetian residence, Palazzo Barbaro.

Nicholas Todhunter, born in Paris in 1981, has lived and worked across Europe, the United States, and Asia. He studied at the Chelsea School of Art in London before moving to Florence to study at the Charles Cecil Studios, the only atelier in Europe where traditional realism is taught. He spent three years there, learning drawing and painting and being introduced to the visual language and techniques of painters from earlier centuries. After his studies in Florence, Nick moved to Venice, where he now resides. For him, Venice is the heart of portraiture and is the source of limitless inspiration. He has exhibited throughout Europe and his works are in private collections throughout the world.  Nick divides his time between Somerset, England, and Venice, Italy, and is the curator of the highly popular Instagram page Portrait Paintings Daily, and his new YouTube channel, The Lives of the Artists.

To RSVP: Paola50122@gmail.com

Minimum suggested donation: $28

This talk is free for Friends of Paola's Studiolo!

We look forward to seeing you on Zoom!