Motorcycle [verso]

The detailed graphite drawing, Motorcycle [verso], was created by the acclaimed American expatriate artist, John Singer Sargent, in 1918. Executed precisely on wove paper, this work is classified as a drawing, demonstrating Sargent’s technical proficiency and observational skill beyond his celebrated oil portraits. The technique employed uses fine, clear graphite lines to capture the complex mechanical structures and contours of an early 20th-century vehicle. This drawing is significant as it belongs squarely within the period of 1901 to 1925, representing a crucial phase in Sargent's later output, often characterized by exploratory sketches and non-commissioned studies following his retirement from formal portraiture.

Sargent created the piece while serving as a war artist for the British Ministry of Information during World War I. While he is best known for capturing the human element of the conflict in works like Gassed, this intimate depiction of machinery offers a valuable counterpoint, showcasing the rapidly increasing mechanization defining the era. The “verso” designation indicates that the drawing likely utilizes the back side of a sheet already bearing another composition, a common practice for artists economizing materials or quickly capturing a subject of opportunity. This focus on an object, rather than a portrait, highlights the subject matter reflecting the mechanical modernity defining the American experience during the 1910s.

The work remains an important piece within the corpus of American drawings from the early 20th century. Sargent’s sketches and studies, including pieces like Motorcycle [verso], are highly valued both for their technical mastery and their historical insight into the artist’s process. This specific drawing is permanently housed in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. As the institution has made many of its holdings accessible to the public, high-resolution prints and documentation of this graphite work are often available through various public domain initiatives, allowing for broader academic study of Sargent’s late career.