“Portrait of Madame X” or “Madame X”
For today, we have one of the most famous paintings by the artist, John Singer Sargent.
“Portrait of Madame X”, often just referred to as “Madame X”, is an oil on canvas painting by the American artist, John Singer Sargent, from 1884. In 1916, as he was selling the painting to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, he said of it, “I suppose it is the best thing I have done”.
“Madame X” is a portrait of Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau, or Madame Gautreau. Madame Gautreau was an American expatriate originally from Louisiana. She had moved to Paris, France, with her family when she was eight years old. Madame Gautreau was a focal point of Parisian high society in the 1880s during the Belle Époque period. She was renowned for her beauty and sophistication. Married to a wealthy banker from Paris, her outgoingness and social skills made her quite popular, especially with men, for whom she was often reported upon in the French tabloids.
Madame Gautreau was painted at the request of Sargent himself, who hoped he could use her popularity to increase his notoriety. He was trying to solidify his place as the foremost portrait painter in Paris. Many artists sought to paint Madame Gautreau, as they were enamored by her unusual beauty, but she had denied most of them.
When this painting was first shown at the Paris Salon of 1884, Madame Gautreau’s right strap was depicted as fallen off her shoulder. The strap, the amount of bare skin visible, and the heavy makeup on her face resulted in a mostly negative review from critics. Even the dress was deemed too scandalous. The public viewed it as flaunting her immorality. Although Sargent had tried to keep the sitter’s identity anonymous by listing the original title as “Portrait of Madame X”, her distinct and recognizable profile gave her identity away.
The art world was horrified, and Sargent, trying to safeguard his reputation, repainted her strap so that it was back on her shoulder. Regardless, this scandal ruined his reputation in Paris. Shortly after, Sargent gave up the city of light and relocated to London, England, where he stayed and finally acquired the respect as a portrait artist that he was seeking. Madame Gautreau subdued her presence in French society for several years after the scandal and their relationship was severed.
Seven years later in 1891, Madame Gautreau was painted again. This portrait, by the French artist, Gustave Courtois, displays her in a very similar manner, in profile with a dress with one shoulder strap down. The dress, however, is white. Interestingly, this painting was a success when it was unveiled, perhaps speaking to the changing social norms of the time.
“Portrait of Madame X” is in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, in the United States.
For more on John Singer Sargent, please visit his short biography here.
You can find more artists to learn about here.
