Madame Paul Escudier (Louise Lefevre)

John Singer Sargent's Madame Paul Escudier (Louise Lefevre) (1882) is an oil on canvas portrait from the early period of the artist's career. Sargent (1856-1925) was the most celebrated portraitist of his generation, known for his dazzling technique and his ability to capture the character and social position of his subjects. This portrait of Madame Escudier shows the artist already in command of the bravura style that would make him famous. The sitter is presented in three-quarter view, her elegant costume and sophisticated bearing rendered with Sargent's characteristic fluid brushwork and keen eye for character. The palette is restrained but rich, with the dark tones of the background setting off the sitter's features and costume. This early work from 1882, painted when Sargent was 26, already displays the technical mastery and psychological penetration that would establish him as the leading portraitist of the Edwardian era.

Sargent was the most sought-after portraitist of his time, and his portraits of the international elite defined the image of Edwardian society.

This early portrait of Madame Escudier captures the elegance and sophistication of its subject with the dazzling technique that would make Sargent the most celebrated portraitist of his generation.