Processional statuary group belonging to the Fraternity of the Parish of San Bernardo, Seville', albumen print, late 19th century

Created with the albumen printing process, the photograph exhibits the fine grain and subtle contrast typical of the period. The composition frames the statues in a linear perspective, guiding the viewer’s eye along the procession while the shallow depth of field softens background elements.

The print is one of 611 photographs that formed part of John Singer Sargent’s personal collection. After Sargent’s death in 1925, his sisters Emily Sargent and Violet Sargent Ormond donated the entire set to the museum in August of that year, alongside a watercolor and a tapestry‑covered chair.

Sargent’s photographic interests spanned architecture, sculpture, and decorative arts from Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas. While he traveled extensively, many of the images in his collection, including this one, were likely acquired from local professional photographers rather than taken by the artist himself.

The donation was valued as an educational resource for both the museum’s photographic library and its sculpture department. The photographs were subsequently organized by geographic region, providing scholars with a visual archive of historic religious architecture, particularly the Spanish examples represented here.