Jacques Barenton (France, 1883)


Figure 1.-- This is one of John Singer Sargent's earlier portraits during his time in France (1880s). This charming portrait of Jacques Barenton. Like many such portraits of young boys at the time such as Renoir works, boys like Jacques are often described as young girls. Among the clients coming to Seargent's Paris studio were the Brentons, Jacques; parents. The resulting portrait of Jacques (1883) was the first in a series of Parisian paintings (1880s). Notice the fancy long hair. His hair was not done in tight ringlets as was common in America, but had a prominant light-blue hair bow.

This is one of John Singer Sargent's earlier portraits during his time in France (1880s). This one is a charming portrait of Jacques Barenton. The Southerby Auction House in New York handled the auction with a Guide price of $1-1.5 million dollars. Like many such portraits of young boys at the time such as Renoir works, boys like Jacques are often described as young girls. Sargent by the early 1880s was building a reputation as a gifted portraitist. He opened a studio in Paris and began to exhibit at the Salon--the impremature of artistic sucess. His portraits were well received by the Paris art establishment. This meant more commissions from wealthu Parisians. Among these were the Brentons, Jacques; parents. The resulting portrait of Jacques (1883) was the first in a series of Parisian paintings (1880s). Several depicted young boys in sailor suits which along with the Fauntleroy suit in the second half of the century had become the peak of fashion for boys at the time. We have tried to find some information about Jacques, but have found virtully nothing. He may be related to M.O. Barenton, a wealthy confiseur (Confectioner) of the time.

Seargent in Paris (1870s-80s)

Seargent was an American, but lived his parents in Europe as a boy. They recognized his talents from an early age. A young Sargent began his formal artistic training in Paris (1874) He was accepted as a student in the atelier (studio) of noted French portraitist Carolus-Duran. Sargent was already an accomplished artist in watercolor and charcoal. He had spent years sketching master works in the great museums of Europe. His mother who was a talented amateur tutored him. It was Carolus-Duran who provided his first formal instruction in working with oils. The strandard method taught at the time at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts was for aspiring artists to do preliminary sketches which were used for a guide when the artist began applying the oil paint. Carolus-Duran taught his students to apply the paint directly onto a blank canvas. The image was developed by applying futher layers of wet paint. Sargent by the early- 1880s began to build a reputation as a gifted portraitist. He opened a studio in Paris and began to exhibit at the Salon--the impremature of artistic sucess. His portraits were well received by the Paris art establishment. This meant more commissions from wealthy Parisians.

Jacques Barenton

This is one of John Singer Sargent's earlier portraits during his time in France (1880s). This charming portrait of Jacques Barenton. The Southerby Auction House in New York handled the auction with a Guide price of $1-1.5 million dollars. Like many such portraits of young boys at the time such as Renoir works, boys like Jacques are often described as young girls. Among the clients coming to Seargent's Paris studio were the Brentons, Jacques; parents. The resulting portrait of Jacques (1883) was the first in a series of Parisian paintings (1880s). Several depicted young boys in sailor suits which along with the Fauntleroy suit in the second half of the century had become the peak of fashion for boys at the time. Jacques wears a traditiionally styled sailor suit which lppks black rather than navy blue. Notice the fancy long hair. His hair was not done in tight ringlets as was common in America, but had a prominant light-blue hair bow. We have tried to find some information about Jacques, but have found virtully nothing. He may be related to M. O Barenton, a wealthy confiseur (Confectioner) of the time.








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Created: 7:11 PM 1/6/2011
Last edited: 7:11 PM 1/6/2011