Earlier this month I had the privilege of attending a lecture at the Art League, An Evening with John Singer Sargent, given by Richard Ormond, former Deputy Director of London’s National Portrait Gallery and author of multiple catalogue raisonnés. Not only distinguished as the foremost scholar on American master John Singer Sargent, Ormond is the artist’s own grand nephew. As such, he gave the audience an insider’s perspective of Sargent’s career as a portrait and later landscape painter, as well as shared personal anecdotes about his great uncle’s life. Having published no less than nine books on Sargent, Ormond is an engaging speaker whose British wit won the audience over immediately. He took questions at the end to which he responded with shocking candor.
I had brought along my big tome of the Met exhibit catalog in the event there might be a signing opportunity. Not only did Mr. Ormond graciously sign my book, but he also answered my question about a rare sketch at the MFA, Sketch of a Lady on Horseback, Sidesaddle, that has intrigued me for a long time. It is unique among Sargent’s body of work in that there are no others like it. The sketch inspired the following passage in House Key (also related to its mysterious library) about which there will be much more in its sequel.
“Nonetheless, the enveloping warmth of chestnut wood paneling and built-in wall-to-wall shelves within the room suggested deep wisdom and great knowledge lay protected here. Compared to the basement, the study felt inviting despite the large, austere desk that commanded a good portion of real estate. Facing the desk were two doors, one through which I had entered. Between the doors was a fireplace that backed up to the one in the parlor on the other side of the wall. Above the fireplace hung a large oil painting of a hunt scene featuring a horse jumping over a stone wall carrying a woman riding side-saddle who looked back at the viewer. Over a century later, the defiance in her expression was unmistakable.”
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