Discovering Art Everyday - John Singer Sargent

Carnation , Lily, Lily, Rose

John Singer Sargent's first inspiration for the painting came from an evening boat trip along the Thames in 1885, when he saw Chinese lanterns hanging in the trees. He worked on this painting from September to early November 1885, and again during the summer of 1886. He completed it in October of 1886. Sargent was able to work for only a few minutes each evening when the light was exactly right. He would place his easel and pose his models in anticipation of the few moments when he could paint the mauvish light of dusk. As autumn came and the flowers died, he was forced to replace the blossoms with artificial flowers.

The models were Polly and Dorothy (Dolly) Barnard, daughters of the illustrator Frederick Barnard. Polly, aged seven, is on the right; Dolly, aged eleven, is on the left. Sargent chose them for the color of their hair.

The title of the painting comes from the song 'The Wreath', by the eighteenth-century composer Joseph Mazzinghi. The refrain of the song asks the question 'Have you seen my Flora pass this way?' to which the answer is 'Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose'.

The painting was bought by the Tate gallery in 1887.

Sargent is widely known for Madame X his portrait of Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau. She was a young socialite and wife of the French banker Pierre Gautreau. Madame X was not painted on commission, but as a request of Sargent. He hoped to enhance his reputation by painting and exhibiting her portrait.

Portrait of Madame X was completed in 1884 and now is displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan.