Ironbound Island, Maine, 1922

Provenance

Sale, Christie’s, London, United Kingdom, July 24–27, lot 56

Knoedler & Co., London, United Kingdom, acquired from above

John F. Harris, New York, New York, 1925, acquired from above

Mrs. John F. Harris, from above

Sale, Christie’s, New York, New York, Private sale

Private collection, New York, New York, acquired from above

Exhibited

Knoedler & Co., New York, New York, An Exhibition of Paintings by the late John Singer Sargent, R.A., November 2–14, 1925, no. 30

Literature

An Exhibition of Paintings by the late John Singer Sargent, R.A (New York: M. Knoedler & Co., 1925), 3.

Pictures & Drawings of the Late John Singer Sargent, R. A. (London: Christie, Manson & Woods, 1925), 9.

Note

John Singer Sargent is renowned for his exquisite oil portraits. However, his watercolors reveal an entirely different side to his artistry. In contrast to the precision of his oil paintings, Sargent’s watercolors are marked by a freer, more expressive touch – imbued with spontaneity and vitality. Sargent seemed to revel in the act of painting with watercolor, using his brush to indulge in pure, unrestrained joy.

This watercolor depicting Shag Ledge on the eastern shore of Ironbound Island, Maine, exemplifies this expressive approach of his. The block-like rocks in the foreground are shaped through fluid, contrasting strokes of light and dark, giving them a solid, rhythmic presence. Meanwhile, the towering cliff faces brims with tension, evoking an undercurrent of natural threat and unease.