Dolce Far Niente
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Object Label
John Singer Sargent spent part of several summers painting open-air subjects in Italy’s Val d’Aosta. The resulting works reveal his pleasure in the description of vividly brilliant light. To suggest an alluring sensuality, Sargent often dressed his models in costumes that he had purchased in the Middle East. Here, several figures almost seem to merge with the water, enhancing the intimacy of the gathering. All three male figures were modeled by Nicola d’Inverno, Sargent’s servant, a fact that reveals the contrivances underpinning this seemingly casual scene.
Caption
John Singer Sargent American, born Italy, 1856–1925. Dolce Far Niente, ca. 1907. Oil on canvas, 16 1/4 x 28 1/4 in. (41.3 x 71.7 cm) frame: 24 3/8 x 36 3/8 x 3 in. (61.9 x 92.4 x 7.6 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Bequest of A. Augustus Healy, 11.518. No known copyright restrictions (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 11.518_PS6.jpg)
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Artist
Title
Dolce Far Niente
Date
ca. 1907
Medium
Oil on canvas
Classification
Dimensions
16 1/4 x 28 1/4 in. (41.3 x 71.7 cm) frame: 24 3/8 x 36 3/8 x 3 in. (61.9 x 92.4 x 7.6 cm)
Signatures
Signed lower right: "John S. Sargent"
Credit Line
Bequest of A. Augustus Healy
Accession Number
11.518
Rights
No known copyright restrictions
This work may be in the public domain in the United States. Works created by United States and non-United States nationals published prior to 1923 are in the public domain, subject to the terms of any applicable treaty or agreement. You may download and use Brooklyn Museum images of this work. Please include caption information from this page and credit the Brooklyn Museum. If you need a high resolution file, please fill out our online application form (charges apply). The Museum does not warrant that the use of this work will not infringe on the rights of third parties, such as artists or artists' heirs holding the rights to the work. It is your responsibility to determine and satisfy copyright or other use restrictions before copying, transmitting, or making other use of protected items beyond that allowed by "fair use," as such term is understood under the United States Copyright Act. The Brooklyn Museum makes no representations or warranties with respect to the application or terms of any international agreement governing copyright protection in the United States for works created by foreign nationals. For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the United States Library of Congress, Cornell University, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and Copyright Watch. For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our blog posts on copyright. If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.
Frequent Art Questions
What art style is it?
The style of this painting is called Impressionism, where the "impression" of a place was seen as more important than exact replication. Sargent spent time in France and met the first wave of French Impressionists, including Claude Monet.You can see the loose brush strokes of pure color that look "messy" close up but form a complete picture from far away. They capture the effect of light on the water, grass, and white clothing!Thanks!Tell me more.
John Singer Sargent was an American artist who lived much of his life abroad.The style of this painting is called Impressionism, where the "impression" of a place was seen as more important than exact replication. Sargent spent time in France and met the first wave of French Impressionists, including Claude Monet.Take a close look at the brushwork! This quick, loose, and “painterly” application of pigment captures the immediacy of a fleeting moment in time.This painting shows the "sweetness of doing nothing"--- an Italian phrase. We do not know who modeled for the female figures in this scene, but it has been speculated that they may be the artist's nieces.Thank you!
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