October 8, 2023–January 15, 2024

Fashioned by Sargent

Who creates your image?

In portraits by John Singer Sargent (1856–1925), sitters assume elegant stances, the fabric of their dress richly depicted in broad, sensuous strokes of paint. Sargent brought his subjects to life, but he did much more than simply record what appeared before him. He often chose what his sitters wore and, even if they arrived in his studio dressed in the latest fashions, he frequently simplified and altered the details. Exploiting dress was an integral part of his artistry.

Organized with Tate Britain, “Fashioned by Sargent” explores the artist’s complex relationship with his often-affluent clients and their clothes. The exhibition reveals Sargent’s power over his sitters’ images by considering the liberties he took with sartorial choices to express distinctive personalities, social positions, professions, gender identities, and nationalities. Alongside about 50 paintings by Sargent, over a dozen period garments and accessories shed new light on the relationship between fashion and this beloved artist’s creative practice.

“The coat is the picture,” Sargent once told Graham Robertson, clearly articulating the role dress played in his work. The exhibition features Robertson’s portrait as well as style icons like Madame X, Lady Agnew, and Dr. Pozzi at Home. Visitors can also see several paintings together with the garments worn by the sitters, among them Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth with her beetle-wing-encrusted costume, and Mrs. Charles Inches (Louise Pomeroy) with her red velvet evening gown. Step into the making of a Sargent portrait and consider ideas of curating—and controlling—one’s image.

“Unapologetically gorgeous”
–Boston Globe

“You can take Sargent out of fashion, but you cannot take the fashion out of Sargent.”
–Vogue

  • Ann and Graham Gund Gallery (Gallery LG31)
A painting of a woman, Lady Agnew, wearing a purple ruffled dress and ornate necklace sitting in a floral chair against a blue background.
A woman in a black gown stands with her right arm leaning on a table and her left arm gathering the fabric of her dress.
A woman and her daughter wear flowing gowns and sit close to one another on ornate chairs.
John Singer Sargent paints a portrait of Mrs. Fiske Warren and her daughter who are posed in his studio.
A woman sits for a portrait in a burgundy silk dress.
A burgundy, silk dress with bowed sleeves.
A portrait of Lady Helen Vincent leaning against a wall in a voluminous gown.
A portrait of a man, Lord Ribblesdale, standing in a suit, overcoat, boots, top hat, and holding a cane in his left hand.
A portrait of the Spanish dancer Carmen Moreno in a yellow, beaded dress.
A yellow, beaded dress and scarf combination placed on a mannequin.
A man in a bright red robe stands against dark red velvet with his left arm akimbo and tight hand at his chest.
Actress Ellen Terry dressed in a green gown as Lady Macbeth holds a crown over her head.
A mannequin wears a green dress with wide sleeves and golden belt.
A seated portrait of John D. Rockefeller.
A portrait of Madame Ramón Subercaseaux wearing a white gown and red flower in her hair while seated at a piano.
A young girl in a pale gown sits on a wooden bench with her hands clasped on her lap.

Videos

Related Publications

Fashioned by Sargent

“The coat is the picture,” John Singer Sargent explained to his fellow artist Graham Robertson in the summer of 1894, tugging a heavy garment ever...

In the News

Vogue (10/11/23): "In John Singer Sargent’s Sumptuous Portraits, the Fashion Comes First"
Vogue (8/18/23): "29 Must-See Exhibitions Opening Across the United States This Fall"
Vanity Fair (9/29/23): "Barbie Pink, Step Aside for Fall’s Rampant Red"
The New York Times (9/5/23): "Fall Preview: Art Shows and Exhibitions to See This Fall"
The New York Times (10/18/23): "Fine Arts & Exhibits Special Section: At Museums and Galleries, a Spirit of Togetherness"
The Boston Globe (10/5/23): "Everyone’s rich and beautiful in the world of John Singer Sargent"
The Boston Globe (1/4/24): "Museumgoers dress to impress at MFA’s ‘Fashioned by Sargent’"

Sponsors

Bank of America

Sponsor

Terra Foundation for American Art

Generous Supporter

Additional generous support from Tom and Bonnie Rosse. Supported by Lynn Dale and Frank Wisneski, the Barbara M. Eagle Exhibition Fund, the MFA Associates / MFA Senior Associates Exhibition Endowment Fund, the Dr. Lawrence H. and Roberta Cohn Fund for Exhibitions, and the Alexander M. Levine and Dr. Rosemarie D. Bria-Levine Exhibition Fund.

This exhibition is co-organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and Tate Britain.