Church of Art - “Fashioned by Sargent” at the MFA

Museums are places of worship. Curated exhibits pair art and scriptures of individual experience to preach. Faith in creation is crucial. Blind belief of self and willingness to act upon it is interpreted through intent, resulting in art. Appreciation (prayer) relinquishes this piece (of oneself) to the believers (critics). When a work (of the heart) is featured. The tasks of the interpreter befall the manager- ensuring the vision of the artist (God) is not lost, diminished, or misunderstood. The larger the scale and more interactive the show, the greater the opportunity for the passive Hero’s Journey, guided strategically and personally through Wonderland. 

The exhibition “Fashioned by Sargent” at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts presents the works of John Singer Sargent (1856-1925), and is on display from October 8, 2023, to January 15, 2024. It explores his relationship with the sitters of his portraits and the clothes they wore (often styled by Sargent himself). He worked with various style icons throughout his life as one of the most impactful creators of his generation. The invocation of post-Victorian grandeur through his work was ever-present. The MFA’s tribute to his legacy and talent is praised in their showing, by arranging dress and painting. You become engrossed in the world, brought to the time of Sargent himself.

When arriving at an Edwardian-era soirée, you would become overwhelmed by the lavish gowns so like your own. Layers of lace, covers of cotton, satiny silk, and sheening sheers adorn corseted figures. Bias drapes cast angelic shadows upon tantalizing ribbonless shoulders. In every direction, pale cheeks kissed rouge contrast piles of dark hair- soft dispositions performing in costumes of Queen Anne’s lace. No rhyme or reason in mind, you choose to go left when faced with the entryway. For your language begins on the left, it is where you feel most comfortable beginning, having no one to guide you. Tactics like this are utilized in galleries, to guide the viewers’ journey through. We are greatly influenced by things that may not be conscious to us, like the color of the walls or the lighting. 

One of the initial rooms in Sargent’s gallery (after the entrance hall with a timeline of his most impactful feats) was a salmon-colored room with lustrous costumes in sultry lighting, described by dark infographics. Within this space I was struck by the luxurious black opera cloak of Lady Sassoon, standing regally in a glass cage in the middle of the floor, implying the societal impact of such a gown. Folds and embellishments of onyx lace and ribbon, cascade down the invisible figure to rest in a train behind. Peering through the center closures and emerging from the wide sleeves is a peep of pink, subtle and sweet, amplified by cohesive walls. 

Continuing down the low-light hall, rooms were forest green, cream, oceanic grey-blue, and light mint, each complementary to the color story of garments within. Not displayed in chronological order (unlike the introductory timeline), the sections paired fashions and paintings that supported one another through aspects like content and color. A couple of paintings of Sargent’s were coupled with the dress modeled, which becomes unique and authentic, including  “Mrs. Charles E. Inches (Louise Pomeroy)” and the timeless red gown. The personal study of a garment is individually distinctive, and to revere within me and compare that to the interpretation of Sargent was unlike any other display of artistic praise. 

Utilizing not only the color palate but also the lighting upon the works was impactful for individual consumption and that of the entire exhibit. Sargent’s oil portrait Madame X of Madame Pierre Gautreau, Virgine Amelie Avegno, is haloed from above in the aquatic-blue room by a glowing white cast. She is subtle above her deep black dress surrounded by dark wall. She is illuminated in a heavenly way, one that mimics the pale wash of the original scene. Although her iconic gown was not a part of the collection, it did not need to be. As the painting is an homage to Madame, it was displayed in a setting that emphasized her, as opposed to the setting or even garb of the piece. Sargent’s models and fashions were the work he created, so that is what the MFA labored to acclaim. 

Sargent’s work paintings are detailed with intent, drawing the eye to intricate lace and flushed skin, using the setting to cast his sitters in the light of his mind’s eye. The exhibit is a safe place in which such an artist can be praised, and known to you in a personal way, guided by the museum but particular to each one. Within this altar we join, to appreciate the wit and hand of John Singer Sargent.