4. John Singer Sargent: Madame X and Dr. Pozzi

Overview

John Singer Sargent was the most successful society portrait painter of the Belle Epoque, and having one’s portrait painted by him was seen as an indication of impeccable good taste. In this episode, I look at two paintings created by Sargent. Two paintings united by scandal. One of them is of Doctor Pozzi, a celebrity gynaecologist and infamous ladies' man, who was referred to by many of his clients as L’Amour médecin, or Doctor Love. The other is Madame X, or Virginie Gautreau, who, like Dr. Pozzi, had a colourful love life, and is also shown in a provocative pose. The paintings have been written about and discussed as separate works of art, but instead of looking at them as two separate paintings - maybe it’s time we talked about them as a pair?