1877

Portrait of Frances Sherborne Ridley Watts

American (active London, Florence, and Paris), 1856 - 1925

The luscious skin tones, subtle plays of light, and feathery brushwork found in this painting are what made John Singer Sargent one of the most sought-after portraitists of his time. Though born of American parents, the artist spent much of his life in Europe. This image of his childhood friend, Fanny Watts, was the first by Sargent to be exhibited at the Salon, a juried art exhibition held in Paris annually.