Unloading Plaster

John Singer Sargent

Brooklyn Museum photograph

Object Label

Sargent altered large portions of this composition by scraping away previous paint applications, abrading the surface of the paper in the process. The largest alteration—the area of the entire rowboat and the nudes—was then repainted with thickly applied opaque watercolors bulked with zinc white. This repainting is so masterful that it is difficult to detect without the aid of a microscope, which reveals clumps of the abraded surface fibers in the paint. Sargent altered the triangular sail at right and repainted it with white lead, a pigment rarely used because of its tendency to darken (as seen in portions of the sail and in the figures to the left of the sail).

Caption

John Singer Sargent American, born Italy, 1856–1925. Unloading Plaster, ca. 1908. Opaque and translucent watercolor with graphite underdrawing, 13 7/8 x 19 3/8 in. (35.3 x 49.2 cm) frame: 23 7/8 x 29 7/8 x 1 1/4 in. (60.6 x 75.9 x 3.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Purchased by Special Subscription, 09.844. No known copyright restrictions (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.844_PS6.jpg)

Gallery

Not on view

Collection

American Art

Title

Unloading Plaster

Date

ca. 1908

Medium

Opaque and translucent watercolor with graphite underdrawing

Classification

Watercolor

Dimensions

13 7/8 x 19 3/8 in. (35.3 x 49.2 cm) frame: 23 7/8 x 29 7/8 x 1 1/4 in. (60.6 x 75.9 x 3.2 cm)

Credit Line

Purchased by Special Subscription

Accession Number

09.844

Rights

No known copyright restrictions

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