The John Singer Sargent Archive: Letters

Once the code of Sargent’s almost indecipherable handwriting has been cracked, his letters reveal the man behind the canvas. The correspondence shows Sargent’s enthusiasms, his sense of humor, his opinions about his own work, and his involvement in the business of exhibitions and the strategies of display. The letters presented here provide a sample of the rich resources of The John Singer Sargent Archive. For letters written in French, the transcription is followed by the English translation. We will continue to add material online as resources become available.

Correspondence with Emma-Marie Allouard-Jouan

Correspondence with Walter L. Clark

Correspondence with Arthur Fairbanks

Correspondence with Claude Monet

Correspondence with Edward Robinson

About the John Singer Sargent Archive

These letters are a part of The John Singer Sargent Archive.

We will continue to add material online as resources become available. Do you have letters to or from Sargent, or photographs of the painter? Let us know!

To make a donation to the Sargent Archive, contact goa@mfa.org.