ticketsMember | Make a donation

Garden near Lucca

ca. 1910
Not on view
An inscription on the back of this striking watercolor suggests that it was painted near Lucca, a charming Renaissance walled city in Tuscany, where Sargent spent the autumn of 1910. At the time, Sargent was preoccupied with creating a series of vibrant watercolors of villas and their gardens, which often focused on the effect of Italian light against stone. Here, Sargent uses a low vantage point to set off the richly carved urn against a brilliant blue sky, which he created with broad, wet washes. He enlivens a static subject by placing the urn close to the top edge of the composition and depicting the vine of vivid pinkish blue blossoms (possibly convolvulus, part of the morning glory family) as if it is cascading from the urn, using feathery brushstrokes.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Garden near Lucca
  • Artist: John Singer Sargent (American, Florence 1856–1925 London)
  • Date: ca. 1910
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Watercolor and graphite on white wove paper
  • Dimensions: 13 7/8 x 9 15/16 in. (35.2 x 25.2 cm)
  • Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. Francis Ormond, 1950
  • Object Number: 50.130.81i
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Mountain Landscape (from "Splendid Mountain Watercolours" Sketchbook), John Singer Sargent American, Graphite on off-white wove paper, American
Mountain Landscape (from "Splendid Mountain Watercolours" Sketchbook)
John Singer Sargent
1870
Wetterhorn, Grindelwald (from "Splendid Mountain Watercolours" Sketchbook), John Singer Sargent American, Watercolor and graphite on off-white wove paper, American
Wetterhorn, Grindelwald (from "Splendid Mountain Watercolours" Sketchbook)
John Singer Sargent
1870
Mount Pilatus, recto (from "Splendid Mountain Watercolours" Sketchbook), John Singer Sargent American, Wax crayon on off-white wove paper, American
Mount Pilatus, recto (from "Splendid Mountain Watercolours" Sketchbook)
John Singer Sargent
1870
Mountain View, Mürren (from "Splendid Mountain Watercolours" Sketchbook), John Singer Sargent American, Watercolor and graphite on off-white wove paper, American
Mountain View, Mürren (from "Splendid Mountain Watercolours" Sketchbook)
John Singer Sargent
1870
View from Schilthorn (from "Splendid Mountain Watercolours" Sketchbook), John Singer Sargent American, Graphite on off-white wove paper, American
View from Schilthorn (from "Splendid Mountain Watercolours" Sketchbook)
John Singer Sargent
1870

Related Content

Perspectives

Articles, audio, and video from The Met's online magazine.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.