Artwork
Two Girls on a Lawn
Two Girls on a Lawn is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist John Singer Sargent. It dates from 1895 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
John Singer Sargent’s 1895 oil painting *Two Girls on a Lawn* presents a brief, sun‑lit tableau of childhood leisure. Executed during the artist’s mature period, the work now belongs to the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it is displayed among his many portrait and genre pieces.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas features two young girls reclined on a verdant lawn. One, shaded by a dark hat, rests her head on a hand while wearing a white dress; the other, also in white, leans against her companion. The informal pose and natural setting suggest a moment of quiet play rather than a formal portrait.
Technique & Style
Sargent employs a loose, impressionistic brushwork that captures light and foliage with rapid strokes. In several areas he applies paint thickly, creating an impasto surface that makes the greens and whites stand out with a tactile vibrancy. This approach lends the scene a sketch‑like immediacy while retaining the richness of oil pigment.
History & Provenance
Created while Sargent was traveling extensively across Europe, the painting reflects his interest in everyday subjects beyond his celebrated society portraits. After its completion, the work entered private hands before being acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it has remained part of the museum’s permanent collection.
Artist & collection
Artist
John Singer Sargent (; January 12, 1856 – April 15, 1925) was an American expatriate artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Belle Époque and Edwardian-era luxury.
