Ponte Vecchio, Florence [recto]

1870-1872 · Drawing

Peut-on la contempler ?

Elle ne reçoit pas en ce moment

Washington, États-Unis

Elle appartient à la collection, mais n’est pas présentée en ce moment.

aged 13 (1869 – 1870)
Watercolour lessons with Carl Welsch
His mother reports that at thirteen John “sketches quite nicely” and has a remarkably quick and correct eye; at that age he receives some watercolour lessons from the German landscape painter Carl Welsch.
1874
The Beaux-Arts exam and a silver prize
In 1874 Sargent passes on his first attempt the rigorous entrance exam of the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and takes drawing classes with Adolphe Yvon, including anatomy and perspective, winning a silver prize; he also spends much time in self-study, drawing in museums and painting in a studio shared with James Carroll Beckwith, who becomes his primary connection with American artists abroad.
1874–1877 · Formation
Beaux-Arts de Paris
1874–1878
Carolus-Duran's atelier and the alla prima method
Sargent studies with the young portraitist Carolus-Duran, whose influence is pivotal for him from 1874 to 1878: instead of the traditional underdrawing, the atelier teaches the alla prima method of working directly on the canvas with a loaded brush, derived from Velázquez. Sargent is the star student in short order, and one of his paintings in this manner prompts the remark “the student has surpassed the teacher”.