Artwork
Study for Figure above "Music"
Study for Figure above "Music" is a charcoal drawing by John Singer Sargent. It dates from 1920 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
John Singer Sargent’s charcoal drawing, executed between 1919 and 1920, records a seated woman on a round platform. Rendered on laid paper, the sketch captures a relaxed pose with a bent left leg and a right arm resting on the knee, using swift yet controlled charcoal strokes.
Subject & Meaning
The figure’s informal stance suggests a moment of quiet contemplation, echoing the theme of the larger work titled *Music*. By isolating the pose, Sargent emphasizes the natural grace of the body and its potential to convey a lyrical atmosphere.
Technique & Style
Sargent employs loose, precise charcoal lines that convey volume and movement with minimal detail. The laid paper’s subtle grain interacts with the charcoal, adding texture and depth, while the economy of marks highlights his skill in rendering form quickly and expressively.
History & Provenance
Created as a preparatory study for the subsequent *Music* canvas, the drawing reflects Sargent’s habitual practice of sketching to resolve composition before painting. The work remains part of the artist’s documented preparatory oeuvre from the post‑World War I period.
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.
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