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John Singer Sargent (1856–1925)
In the Luxembourg Gardens, 1879
Oil on canvas; 25 7/8 x 36 3/8 in. (65.7 x 92.4 cm)
Lent by the Philadelphia Museum of Art, John G. Johnson Collection, 1917
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Sargent's view of a favorite Left Bank promenade was inspired by one of the French Impressionists' preferred subjects—the new public parks that provided Parisians with a bit of nature. By emphasizing the gravel walk, balustraded terraces, and pool of water, he underscored the traits of a French park, in which the built environment dominated nature. Sargent's asymmetrical, seemingly accidental composition implies urban flux, as does his instantaneous rendering of the stylishly dressed couple at the left and the other park denizens in the distance.
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