It would upset me if I were considered a poor idiot

Born in Florence to American expatriate parents, John Singer Sargent spent his youth travelling across Europe, immersed in culture and art. In 1874, at the age of 18 and fluent in several languages, including French, Sargent moved to Paris to study art. He was trained by the French portrait painter Carolus-Duran and dreamed of exhibiting his work at the Paris Salon, the prestigious annual art exhibition. His dream came true, with his first Salon submissions well received and his painting El Jaleo becoming an overnight success at the 1882 exhibit.

Sargent's success continued until 1884, when his submission to the Salon, a portrait of Madame Gautreau titled Portrait of Madame X, led to a major scandal. The painting —the artist's own personal favourite and now considered his most famous work— received very negative reactions from both critics and the public. People were shocked by the painting's sexual suggestiveness, with the woman's bold pose, her artificially white complexion, and a strap slipping from her shoulder. Due to the controversy, Sargent later repainted the strap, placing it properly on her shoulder. 

Commissions became scarce after the Madame X scandal and, heartbroken about the affair, Sargent reportedly considered giving up painting and going into music or business. In 1886, he decided to leave Paris and move to London, taking up residence in James Whistler's former studio in Tite Street.

It was from London that Sargent wrote the following letter to Claude Monet. The two artists had first met at an art exhibition in Paris in 1876. A warm friendship developed between them, leading to Sargent’s visit to Monet at his home in Giverny in 1885 (where he created the painting of Monet shown above). Sargent also purchased several of Monet's works and was instrumental in introducing his friend to the English public. 

The letter below is undated but was presumably written in March 1887. It had been a few years since the Madame X scandal. Sargent had yet to achieve success in England —English critics initially thought his style was too "Frenchified"— and apparently was struggling to create enough work for upcoming exhibitions. Also, he had no painting to submit to the Salon in Paris and was increasingly worried about the opinion of his peers.

English translation below the French text.

11 Mars [no year]

13, Tite Street,

Chelsea, S.W.

Mon cher Monet

Merci de votre bonne lettre et du conseil amical. Il est excellent et je suis charmé de recevoir cette preuve d’amitié de votre part. Aussi j’ai obtenu qu’on me prête un portrait que je vous enverrai.

J’ai passé tant de temps sur les mêmes 2 toiles cette année grâce à ce climat que j’ai à peine de quoi exposer aux deux expositions d’ici, auxquelles il faut absolument que je figure à moins de rater mon émigration. Je n’aurai rien au salon, à mon très grand regret, car j’ai à cœur de ne pas me laisser oublier à Paris et je serais désolé de passer pour un crétin qui cesserait d’y exposer de parti pris. L’année prochaine j’enverrai mon tableau qui n’est pas encore bien. De grâce, si vous entendez dire par nos camarades que je suis un lâcheur ou un ingrat ou que je boude, contredisez de pareilles bêtises.

J’espère aller vous voir ce printemps. Je vous envoie une dépêche pour savoir la date de l’envoi chez Petit de peur que cela ne soit très pressé.

Avec tout mon amitié

John S. Sargent

Quand l’exposition ouvrira-t-elle et jusqu'à quand durera ? Y-a-t-il quelque chose à payer?

Translation

11 March [no year]

13 Tite Street,

Chelsea, S.W.

My dear Monet

Thank you for your kind letter and for the friendly advice. It is excellent and I am delighted to have this token of your friendship. Also, I managed to borrow a portrait, which I will send to you.

I have spent so much time on the same two canvasses this year due to this climate, that I barely have anything to exhibit at the two shows here. I really must be represented or I have failed in my purpose of coming to this country. I deeply regret that I shall have nothing for the Salon, because I really do not want to be forgotten in Paris. It would upset me if I were considered a poor idiot, who has ceased to exhibit there to make a statement. Next year, I shall send my picture, which is still not quite right. I beg you, if you hear from our friends that I am a deserter or an ingrate, or that I am sulking, to contradict such nonsense.

I hope to go and see you in the spring. I am sending you a telegram to find out the submission date for Petit’s exhibition to avoid the whole process being too rushed.

With my best wishes,

John S. Sargent

When does the exhibition open and how long will it last? Must one pay anything?

It was not long thereafter, at the 1887 Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy in London, that Sargent would achieve his first major success in England with Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose (created in 1885–86). The Tate Gallery acquired the painting that same year, becoming the first public museum to purchase one of Sargent's works.

Sargent continued to have success with his work, including in the United States where he secured many important commissions. Furthermore, he continued to exhibit regularly in Paris; in 1892, the French state even purchased his painting La Carmencita for the Musée du Luxembourg. 

During his career, Sargent was quite a prolific artist. He created about 900 oil paintings as well as numerous watercolours and drawings. He is now mostly regarded as the leading portrait painter of his generation. 

Source letter: The John Singer Sargent Archive at The Museum of Fine Arts Boston

Images from top to bottom:

-Circa 1885, John Singer Sargent in his studio with Portrait of Madame X; he eventually sold the painting to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 1916

-Portrait of Madame X (1884)

-Claude Monet Painting by the Edge of a Wood (1885)

-Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose (1885-1886)

Source of all images: Wikimedia Commons