Sailors and Reapers 1875

John Singer Sargent made this pencil sketch, ‘Sailors and Reapers’, at an unknown date. It contains studies of working people. Sargent was part of a generation of American artists who were trained in Europe, and his art reflects the class-based values of late 19th century European culture. Here, he divides his attention between men and women, who appear to be engaged in different kinds of work, though both related to the rural economy. The figures of sailors suggest the maritime trades, while the 'reapers' are suggestive of agricultural work. The drawing speaks to the role of the artist in observing and recording the lives of working people at a time when industrialization threatened traditional ways of life. Art historians would seek further evidence in letters, biographies, and exhibition reviews to gain a better understanding of the work's meaning. The value of the artwork lies in its ability to reveal the conditions of its historical moment.