“Fashioned by Sargent” Art Exhibit at Boston’s MFA

The 2023-24 “Fashioned by Sargent” exhibit at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts was one of the most fascinating exhibits I’ve seen in a long time (right up there with “Quilts and Color!”), so I vowed to document it here to share the artistic glory with those who couldn’t make it to the stately Huntington Avenue building in time to catch it.

“Fashioned by Sargent”

The concept of the MFABoston’s “Fashioned by Sargent” exhibit was to juxtapose John Singer Sargent’s portraits with the actual fashion garments displayed in the paintings. Scintillating blurbs next to each work divulged the drama behind each person and outfit pictured.

A Popular Art Exhibit

As you can see from my photo, above, the exhibit was packed with people — even late on a Friday night. (This is why Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts makes it to my list of cool museums!) It made me very happy to see so many folks patronizing the arts, and I’m especially pleased that the MFABoston has expanded its programs for discounted and free admission to widen access.

Who was John Singer Sargent?

John Singer Sargent — or “JSS,” as the hip art teacher at the school where I teach calls him — was a masterful painter who lived from 1856 to 1925. He was so popular as a painter of the elite that his commissioned portraits cost the modern equivalent of $130,000 each — $5,000 at the time! (You can catch more JSS at the Clark Museum in Western MA.)

As a friend pointed out, in an era before ubiquitous selfies and smartphone cameras, to be immortalized by a Sargent painting was absolutely worth the money. Why — aren’t we still gazing at them today, over 130 years later? Modern art like that at MASS MoCA is excellent, but so are these enduring pieces. Now, let’s talk about the clothes…

It was a wallop to the senses to see the actual clothes Sargent painted, as shown above. One becomes aware of the choices he made as an artist: Which lines and colors he emphasized, and which he merely suggested, gesturally. Check out my photo, below of the “Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth” duo, where we can see how Sargent had Terry open her arms to hide the red side of the cape, thus emphasizing the red of her own braids. (There are almost as many hues in that piece as Randyland!)

“Dr. Pozzi at Home” Sargent Painting

Though the majority of Sargent’s fashionable paintings in the exhibit were of high-society women, a remarkable standout was the red-clad man depicted in “Dr. Pozzi at Home,” pictured below. According to the blurb, Pozzi was an exceptionally handsome gynecologist. Note his showy shoes peeking from the hem of his robe! (I also want to give a shout-out to the MFABoston for their delicious wallpaper choices… evoking for me the climbing vines of the Phipps Conservatory.)

As you can see from the first photo in this article, part of the fun of the exhibit was museum-goers (myself included) dressing up as the people painted. Dr. Pozzi’s red outfit was especially popular for this game among the bearded male set. (I’ve also seen this dress-up phenomenon at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA.)

Ornate Dress Designs

As someone who has gotten into creating dress coloring pages, I was struck by the creativity of the garments on display at the “Fashioned by Sargent” exhibit. Check out the corseted bodice, V-shaped waist, and poofy, layered skirt in the white dress below!

I particularly enjoyed that next to many of the blurbs in the exhibit was a second blurb entitled, “Another Perspective.” These paragraphs were voices from local art students representing diverse views on the art — some fabulously opinionated. I was reminded of the inclusiveness of the Westmoreland Museum in Pennsylvania.

The “Fashioned by Sargent” exhibit also discussed the concept of gender and its performativity as it pertains to fashion. Below is a mind-blowing dress from that wing of the exhibit. It’s almost like a Dracula queen outfit!

While it would seem to be stressful to navigate an uber-popular exhibit with hundreds of other Bostonians, I found part of the delight of the experience was watching how the museum-goers and paintings interacted with each other. Enjoy, below, how the woman in the portrait appears to be glaring at the camera pointed at her — almost like the live actors in Old Sturbridge Village, but a different era and social set!

Though I adored ogling the clothes, I do count myself mighty lucky that women don’t have to dress that way anymore. This blue velvet number is a joy to take in visually… but would likely not be comfortable to wear for more than a few minutes! How could I even ride my vintage bikes??

Painting White Cloth

The entire last room of the multi-room exhibit was dedicated to exploring the brilliant ways that Sargent painted white cloth. If you notice in the following paintings, he actually uses a rainbow of colors to depict the folds of white cloth — almost as much color as a certain glass paperweight museum in Ligonier. The painting, below, I have sub-titled: “My mood after teaching for 7 hours.”

As the exhibit moved forward in time, one could begin to see an Impressionist flair to Sargent’s work. The glorious Monet-like sunshine in the painting below took my breath away. (See more impressionists at the Smith College Museum of Art in Northampton, MA.)

I giggled aloud when I saw the MFABoston’s Instagram account had a photo of two visitors to the exhibit who’d dressed in puffy white frocks and sprawled on the floor in front of this painting to evoke “Two Girls in White Dresses!” Such an interactive, exuberant exhibit! I was reminded of the energy of the Fred Rogers Center in Latrobe, PA.

My Favorite Painting in the Exhibit

That last room held my #1 favorite painting in the entire “Fashioned by Sargent” exhibit at the MFABoston: “The Chess Game,” painted by Sargent in 1907. What sumptuous colors and what a splendid scene! I want to recline, barefoot, at that riverbank wearing rich garments and play the game, too. (You know from my Corning Museum of Glass article that I loooove sumptuous color!)

“Madame X” by Sargent

Now we get to the moment you perhaps were all waiting for… the most famous painting by John Singer Sargent: The infamous “Madame X.” This painting was so scandalous when it was released in 1884 that Sargent had to go back in and paint a formerly slipping strap of the gown back upon the model’s shoulder for slightly more coverage.

The photo above makes me supremely happy, because it captures (in full chiaroscuro) the moment when a friendly stranger came by to help me perfectly pose for my attempt at mirroring “Madame X’s” stately glory. Thank you, new art friend! I love how a painting from 140 years ago can still bring people together.

Thank You, “Fashioned by Sargent!”

There’s SO very much more to say about the life and works of John Singer Sargent as an artist and human. If you have a moment, do go into a quick online rabbit hole to revel in his splendid travels, achievements, muses, models, secrets, connections to the Newport, RI Mansions and Boston.

The “Fashioned by Sargent” exhibit at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts was an evening I’ll never forget, and I thank the MFA for making these moments possible. And a reminder as always: Let’s keep making time in our lives for the arts!

Want more about museums? Check out my breathtaking photos from the Chihuly Garden and Glass museum in Seattle, Washington!