White Ships
1908
John Singer Sargent
American, born Italy, 1856-1925
American Art
In this work, one of the latest of the watercolors in the 1909 purchase, Sargent used a small amount of clear wax on the right side of the larger boat in order to repel the blue washes and create highlights. This is the only watercolor in the collection from the 1909 purchase in which wax resist is found. Sargent’s use of this technique later increased significantly; most of Boston’s watercolors purchased in 1912 contain wax.
- Maker/Artist
- Sargent, John Singer
- Classification
- Watercolor
- Formatted Medium
- Translucent and touches of opaque watercolor and wax resist with graphite underdrawing
- Medium
- translucent, touches, opaque, watercolor, wax, resist, graphite, underdrawing
- Dimensions
- 13 7/8 x 19 3/8 in. (35.2 x 49.2 cm) frame: 24 3/16 x 30 3/16 x 1 7/8 in. (61.4 x 76.7 x 4.8 cm)
- Departments
- American Art
- Accession Number
- 09.846
- Credit Line
- Purchased by Special Subscription
- Exhibitions
- John Singer Sargent Watercolors, Masters of Color and Light: Homer, Sargent and the American Watercolor Movement, Curator's Choice: American Watercolor Masters: Winslow Homer and John Singer Sargent
- Rights Statement
- No known copyright restrictions
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