Resting

Resting by John Singer Sargent, created sometime between 1880 and 1890, stands as an exemplary study from the artist’s prolific output of watercolors during this period. Classified as a drawing, the work is executed in watercolor over preparatory graphite on wove paper, illustrating the swift, observational technique Sargent favored when traveling and capturing informal scenes.

As a leading figure in American art operating within the period 1876 to 1900, Sargent elevated watercolor from a preparatory or minor medium into a vehicle for serious, finished artistic expression. His dedication to capturing light, movement, and atmospheric effects found its ideal match in the fluidity of watercolor. This specific technique-combining the structural certainty of graphite groundwork with vibrant, translucent washes-allowed the artist to render figures and settings with striking immediacy and precision. The title Resting suggests an intimate or genre scene, reflecting Sargent’s penchant for depicting moments of leisure or pause, often involving family or acquaintances encountered during his numerous excursions across Europe and the Middle East.

During the 1880s and 1890s, Sargent developed a visual language that focused on the spontaneous observation of his subjects rather than exhaustive detailing. This approach contributes significantly to the understanding of late 19th-century American draughtsmanship and its connections to European Impressionism. The rapid execution captured in this piece demonstrates the technical mastery that made Sargent's watercolor studies so critically acclaimed.

This important work is held in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, where it contributes to the comprehensive documentation of the artist's career. Given the stature of John Singer Sargent and the importance of his graphic works, the piece remains highly referenced. Due to its historical significance, reproductions and high-resolution prints of the work are often accessible through public domain art initiatives, broadening the study of this master of American watercolor.