THE MAGAZINE
Sargent’s Madame X: The Portrait That Hurled Painter and Sitter into Scandal
John Singer Sargent’s Portrait of Madame X didn’t just scandalize the 1884 Paris Salon—it rewrote the rules of modern portraiture. In addition to depicting Paris’ “it girl,” Madame Gautreau, it rendered quiet power struggles: between artist and subject, authenticity and artifice, tradition and ambition. Read more to learn about the portrait’s reception and long-term cultural influence.
Helene Schjerfbeck: Painting the Soul
“As a Finnish person, when I think of Finnish art, I think of Helene Schjerfbeck. Exhibited at the Finnish National Gallery, the presence of her art punctuated my every visit there. I would always go to her and take a moment to stare at her striking self-portraits.”