end Notes
Rose-Marie Ormond: John Singer Sargent’s muse and “the most charming girl that ever lived”
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[1] In the preparation of this article, I have drawn extensively on Karen Corsano and Daniel Williman’s excellent and comprehensive book John Singer Sargent and his Muse, an invaluable resource in this area. See also Cate McQuaid, Review of ‘John Singer Sargent and His Muse’, Boston Globe, 22 September 2014.
[2] Cited in Corsano, at 53. Sargent considered portraiture a comparatively low form of the art of painting, “making homely people handsome to please their family”: op cit at 207.
[3] Corsano, op cit at 58.
[4] Corsano, op cit at 57-60.
[5] Corsano, op cit at 62.
[6] Corsano, op cit at 14.
[7] Corsano, op cit at 72. Rose-Marie also actively collaborated with Robert in his academic work.
[8] Quotations from Robert’s Journal are taken from Corsano, op cit at 102-124.
[9] Corsano, op cit at 136, 128
[10] Corsano, op cit at 140.
[11] Corsano, op cit at 163ff.
[12] Corsano, op cit at 159-60.
[13] Corsano, op cit at 166-68.
[14] Corsano, op cit at 168.
[15] William G Sharp, Washington, April 3rd 1918, Source Records of the Great War, Vol. VI, ed. Charles F. Horne, National Alumni 1923. Retrieved from https://www.firstworldwar.com/source/parisgun_sharp.htm June 2019.
[16] Corsano, op cit at 192.
[17] Corsano, op cit at 196.
[18] Corsano,op cit at 199.
[19] “Decoration” in this context does not mean mere prettification, but rather “beautiful, suitable and worthy of the place”: Corsano, op cit at 25, 207.
[20] For a detailed and perceptive analysis of the project, see also Sally M Promey, “Sargent’s Truncated Triumph: Art and Religion at the Boston Public Library, 1890-1925” The Art Bulletin, Vol 79, No 2 (June 1997) 217-250; and Corsano, op cit at 224ff.
[21] In an earlier preparatory sketch, Sargent even played with the idea of showing Christ as a wounded soldier in military garb, with bandages replacing the Crown of Thorns, but ultimately rejected it as too obvious: Corsano, op cit at 228.
[22] Corsano, op cit at 224ff. See also Promey, op cit.
[23] The painting attracted opposition by critics claiming variously that had a Christian bias, that it stereotyped Judaism and verged on anti-Semitism: see Promey, op cit at 232ff. The final part of the project was never finished, with the key panel Sermon on the Mount remaining undone on Sargent’s death in 1925.
[24] Corsano, op cit at 239.
© Philip McCouat 2019
[1] In the preparation of this article, I have drawn extensively on Karen Corsano and Daniel Williman’s excellent and comprehensive book John Singer Sargent and his Muse, an invaluable resource in this area. See also Cate McQuaid, Review of ‘John Singer Sargent and His Muse’, Boston Globe, 22 September 2014.
[2] Cited in Corsano, at 53. Sargent considered portraiture a comparatively low form of the art of painting, “making homely people handsome to please their family”: op cit at 207.
[3] Corsano, op cit at 58.
[4] Corsano, op cit at 57-60.
[5] Corsano, op cit at 62.
[6] Corsano, op cit at 14.
[7] Corsano, op cit at 72. Rose-Marie also actively collaborated with Robert in his academic work.
[8] Quotations from Robert’s Journal are taken from Corsano, op cit at 102-124.
[9] Corsano, op cit at 136, 128
[10] Corsano, op cit at 140.
[11] Corsano, op cit at 163ff.
[12] Corsano, op cit at 159-60.
[13] Corsano, op cit at 166-68.
[14] Corsano, op cit at 168.
[15] William G Sharp, Washington, April 3rd 1918, Source Records of the Great War, Vol. VI, ed. Charles F. Horne, National Alumni 1923. Retrieved from https://www.firstworldwar.com/source/parisgun_sharp.htm June 2019.
[16] Corsano, op cit at 192.
[17] Corsano, op cit at 196.
[18] Corsano,op cit at 199.
[19] “Decoration” in this context does not mean mere prettification, but rather “beautiful, suitable and worthy of the place”: Corsano, op cit at 25, 207.
[20] For a detailed and perceptive analysis of the project, see also Sally M Promey, “Sargent’s Truncated Triumph: Art and Religion at the Boston Public Library, 1890-1925” The Art Bulletin, Vol 79, No 2 (June 1997) 217-250; and Corsano, op cit at 224ff.
[21] In an earlier preparatory sketch, Sargent even played with the idea of showing Christ as a wounded soldier in military garb, with bandages replacing the Crown of Thorns, but ultimately rejected it as too obvious: Corsano, op cit at 228.
[22] Corsano, op cit at 224ff. See also Promey, op cit.
[23] The painting attracted opposition by critics claiming variously that had a Christian bias, that it stereotyped Judaism and verged on anti-Semitism: see Promey, op cit at 232ff. The final part of the project was never finished, with the key panel Sermon on the Mount remaining undone on Sargent’s death in 1925.
[24] Corsano, op cit at 239.
© Philip McCouat 2019