Seated Woman

The delicate drawing, Seated Woman, by John Singer Sargent, created between 1890 and 1900, offers significant insight into the artist’s mastery of line and form outside his renowned oil portraits. This work is executed simply in graphite on wove paper, showcasing a common observational and preparatory technique favored by artists in the late 19th century. Sargent utilizes quick, expressive marks, focusing primarily on capturing the posture and volume of the figure rather than rendering highly polished detail. The contrast between the soft modeling of the subject and the sharp, decisive outlines defining the drapery and the chair demonstrates his exceptional facility with the pencil.

The sketch captures a female figure resting, possibly an impromptu pose or a study of a model situated in the artist's studio environment. Though Sargent spent much of his career among the European elite, this piece belongs firmly within the context of American artistic production from the period spanning 1876 to 1900. While recognized globally for his high-society commissions, the artist consistently used drawing as a fundamental practice to study the human figure, revealing an intimate glimpse into his working methods that contrasts with the bravura brushwork of his large canvases.

This important drawing resides in the extensive collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. As a representative piece from the late 19th century, the image frequently enters the public domain, enhancing its accessibility for scholars and the general public. Enthusiasts often seek high-quality prints of Sargent’s preliminary drawings like Seated Woman, valuing the subtlety and economy of his draftsmanship, which captures the sitter's essence with elegant simplicity.