Artwork
The Rt. Reverend William Lawrence
The Rt. Reverend William Lawrence is a charcoal drawing by John Singer Sargent. It dates from 1916 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
The artist left the paper’s texture visible, giving the drawing a sketchy, unfinished feel.
This sketch shows a serious-looking man in a dark clerical collar. His face is drawn in charcoal, with soft shading around his eyes and jaw. The background is just a few rough strokes, like curtains or a plain wall.
The artist left the paper’s texture visible, giving the drawing a sketchy, unfinished feel. The signature in the corner reads "J. Singer Sargent" and the year "1916."
Look up Sargent, John Singer to see more of his quick, expressive portraits.
Overview
John Singer Sargent’s 1916 charcoal drawing titled *The Rt. Reverend William Lawrence* presents a seated clergyman rendered on laid paper. The work belongs to Sargent’s extensive series of quick portrait studies, produced alongside his more widely exhibited oil and watercolor pieces. Though modest in scale, the drawing exemplifies the artist’s capacity to capture a sitter’s presence with minimal means.
Subject & Meaning
The figure is the Right Reverend William Lawrence, a contemporary of Sargent’s who sat for the portrait within the artist’s social network. Lawrence is depicted with a solemn expression, his dark clerical collar framing a face marked by subtle shading around the eyes and jaw, suggesting both the gravitas of his office and a personal intimacy.
Technique & Style
Executed in charcoal on laid paper, the drawing retains the texture of the support, allowing the grain to show through the marks. Sargent employs loose, gestural strokes for the background, hinting at curtains or a plain wall, while the facial features are built up with soft, layered shading. The signature and date appear in the lower corner, confirming authorship.
History & Provenance
Created during Sargent’s later years, the portrait reflects his continued practice of rapid, expressive studies even as his reputation rested on large-scale oil commissions. The drawing has remained within the artist’s estate records and is catalogued among his numerous sketches, illustrating the breadth of his portraiture beyond the public exhibitions for which he is best known.
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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