Ramparts at St. Malo—Yacht Race

Ramparts at St. Malo-Yacht Race by John Singer Sargent is a detailed graphite drawing executed on wove paper in 1875. This impressive piece captures a dynamic maritime scene in Brittany, France, during a formative period in the artist’s prolific career. Sargent, then aged nineteen, was intensely focused on developing his powers of observation and precise draftsmanship while traveling throughout Europe.

As a significant example of the American artist’s early explorations in sketch work, this piece fits squarely within the artistic production of the 1851 to 1875 period. The subject matter expertly juxtaposes the ancient, imposing stone structure of the St. Malo ramparts with the fleeting, kinetic movement of the yacht race visible on the water below. Sargent utilized sharp graphite lines and subtle gradations of shading to render the rough texture of the masonry and the hazy atmosphere of the harbor. The composition employs the high viewpoint afforded by the fortifications, strategically pulling the viewer’s eye across the dramatic coastal landscape and out to the distant sea where the sailing action unfolds.

This meticulous study demonstrates Sargent’s nascent talent for capturing instantaneous motion and atmospheric light, foreshadowing the brilliant mastery evident in his later oil paintings. The Classification identifies this piece specifically as a Drawing, emphasizing the foundational role technical skill played in the development of the American school of painting. The original work resides within the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art. Due to its historical significance and institutional placement, high-resolution images and prints of Sargent’s Ramparts at St. Malo-Yacht Race are frequently made available through public domain initiatives, ensuring broad access to this key 19th-century American drawing.