The Grand Affair

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A bold biography of the legendary painter John Singer Sargent, this work emphasizes the unruly emotions and hidden desires that fueled his innovative artistry and shaped the fin de siècle culture he navigated. Sargent, a prominent American artist, presented an enigmatic persona, dressing like a businessman while scandalizing audiences with the frankness and sensuality of his art. He captivated both the nouveau riche and old money, yet felt a deeper connection to Bedouins, Spanish dancers, and Venetian gondoliers. At the peak of his fame, he abandoned his lucrative portrait career to focus on allegorical murals with religious themes and private nude drawings of male models. Historian Paul Fisher vividly chronicles Sargent's life, from his trans-European childhood to the salons of Paris, highlighting the scandals and passions he ignited. In London, he mingled with eccentrics and aristocrats, including Henry James and Oscar Wilde, while forming a close bond with a lightweight boxer who became his model and companion. Later, he collaborated with his friend Isabella Stewart Gardner and focused on Thomas McKeller, an African American elevator operator and contortionist, who inspired some of his most daring work. Fisher’s exploration of Sargent's restless journey sheds light on the complexities of fin de siècle sexuality and art, breathing new life into both the man and his masterpieces.