The Salute, Venice (1904-1907)

John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) was an American expatriate artist, widely regarded as the leading portrait painter of his generation for his evocations of Edwardian-era luxury. Born in Florence to American parents, Sargent received his art education in Italy, Germany, and Paris, where he studied under Emile Auguste Carolus-Duran. His approach to painting was influenced by Carolus-Duran's alla prima method, which emphasized direct application of paint. Sargent achieved great success as a portraitist, capturing the affluence and fashion of the time, but he also excelled in watercolors and landscape painting. In the latter part of his career, he focused on murals and watercolors, contributing to public art in the United States. Despite his resentment towards the constraints of portraiture, Sargent's work influenced an entire generation of American portraitists and remains highly celebrated today.