Alice Runnels James (Mrs. William James) 1921

Editor: We are looking at John Singer Sargent's watercolor portrait of "Alice Runnels James (Mrs. William James)," created in 1921. The woman's gaze is captivating; there's a sense of both weariness and quiet strength in her expression. The softness of the watercolor really lends to that delicate mood, but what do you see in it? Curator: For me, Sargent is always such a curious study because on one level he’s recording this gilded world of leisure and privilege but with these incredible glimmers, these moments where we can intuit an inner emotional reality. I sense melancholy but it might be something closer to resilience. What do you think is the relationship between the softness of the watercolor medium, and the apparent vulnerability of his subject? Editor: I can see that tension between vulnerability and, you are right, a type of resilience. I guess the watercolor seems appropriate, like a veil suggesting fleeting emotion and quiet moments. I wonder how deliberate that choice of medium was in representing her? Curator: It is such a beautiful rendering isn't it. This choice could reflect Sargent's sensitivity to her state of mind, and a deliberate aesthetic strategy. Maybe, it adds another layer to our understanding of Alice James; she wasn’t just the wife of William, but also a woman with her own story etched on her face. Do you get that sense too? Editor: Yes, absolutely. Considering the nuances in this watercolor shifts the way I understand portraiture entirely. Curator: Me too. Perhaps portraiture's primary value is offering just the faintest whisper into the interiority of another human being.