Portrait of James Whitcomb Riley 1903

This is John Singer Sargent's oil painting of James Whitcomb Riley. There’s so much brown in here; it almost looks like a photograph. You can tell it’s Sargent by those deft touches of light. See how he captured the sheen on Riley’s face, the glimmer in his glasses? That’s not just about observation; it’s about bringing someone to life on canvas. I can imagine Sargent, brush in hand, trying to catch the essence of Riley. What was it like to paint this man, to try to understand him through paint? It is like a conversation, between the artist and sitter. Sargent is trying to get a likeness, but he’s also trying to get something deeper. You can see the confidence in the brushstrokes. I bet Sargent knew he was good. All those dark hues make it look serious, but those tiny spots of light stop it being too heavy. Sargent was such a master. He probably influenced so many painters.