“Sargent’s approach to watercolor was unconventional. Disregarding contemporary aesthetic standards that called for carefully delineated and composed landscapes filled with transparent washes, his confidently bold, dense strokes, loosely defined forms, and unexpected vantage points startled critics and fellow practitioners alike.”
— http://www.mfa.org/exhibitions/john-singer-sargent-watercolors
Seeing this exhibition was inspiring for me. I love working with watercolor and I usually work loosely with a wet-on-wet approach, but I struggle with the level of detail to include and when I’m “done”. But the loose definition of forms in these paintings is so gorgeous and evocative. I spent the most time with the series of watercolors he made throughout his travels in the Middle East, mainly because of those blues. The walls of the small section these paintings were installed in were painted the same deep blue color, setting this series apart from the rest of the exhibition. It brought out the shadows and made the pieces feel even more luminous. Loved it.
John Singer Sargent, Bedouin Camp, 1905-1906.