Uncanny Spectacle: The Public Career of the Young John Singer Sargent

By the time John Singer Sargent turned thirty in 1886, he already commanded an international reputation in the art world, creating a stream of works for exhibition that people eagerly awaited and discussed at length. Henry James noted that Sargent`s talent offered "the slightly `uncanny` spectacle" of an artist on the threshold of his career who in fact had nothing more to learn. This book explores how the young American painter in just over a decade jumped from apprenticeship to wide acclaim, how he presented himself and his works, and how he sought to shape public perception of his talent.