John Singer Sargent & Chicago's Gilded Age; July 1–September 30
A painting of a young women with her hands on her hips standing in a confident pose. She wears an opulent yellow dress and looks directly at the viewer.

Artist on the Rise, Abroad and at Home

Sargent (1856–1925) became the most sought-after portraitist of his generation on both sides of the Atlantic. Born in Italy to American parents, he traveled the world in search of subjects and worked professionally for more than 50 years creating vibrant, lively paintings.

His assertive portrait of Carmen Dauset (pictured at left) commanded the attention of critics and museumgoers when it was displayed at the Art Institute in 1890 and helped put Chicago on the map as a center for contemporary art and culture.

[Sargent was] busy all the time—at white heat always, rushing from one place to another.

Dennis Miller Bunker, 1890

A painting of a young woman walking down a Venice street. She gazes down while two people stand to the side in conversation with each other with their faces in shadow. One of them looks at the young woman.

Sargent’s Chicago Debut

This painting, Street in Venice, was exhibited in Chicago in 1888, marking the first time a work by Sargent was shown in the city.


Over the next four decades, dozens of paintings by Sargent traveled to the city for exhibition, including at the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893.

A painting of Charles Deering sitting in a wicker chair on a beach under the shadow of a large palm tree. He wears a white suit and sun hat.

Friends, Patrons, Champions

Prominent Chicagoan Charles Deering (pictured here) was both a lifelong friend and important patron of Sargent. Other local collectors likewise brought paintings by the artist to the Midwest and ensured a rich Sargent legacy for the city.

A painting of James McNeill Whistler sitting cross-legged, leaning over the back of a white chair in what might be an empty ballroom. He wears a black suit and holds a top hat on his lap.

Artistic Exchange

Sargent lived and worked among a large circle of artists and friends, including Claude Monet and Giovanni Boldini. These artists learned from one another, swapping roles as sitters and models, sharing art, and nurturing important contacts and deep friendships.

A painting of a large, open room with many architectural details. Four large, white pillars lead the viewer through an exterior corridor with high, domed ceilings to a doorway that seems to lead to the interior of the home. Large, lush plants can be seen in the sun-filled patio just out of view.

An Artist of Many Talents

While best known for his remarkable portraits, Sargent pursued a wide range of genres and media throughout his career. After stepping away from portrait commissions in 1907, he continued to enjoy broad success—with his fellow artists, patrons, and the public—as he created landscapes, watercolors, and murals.

It was such an experience to see him paint, every stroke telling.

Eliza Wedgwood, 1925

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July 1–September 30

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