Sargent's Daughters: The Biography of a Painting (pgs 3-48)

Summary
John Singer Sargent never had daughters or any children at all, the painting is Edward Darley Boit's daughters and this is the history of the painting Sargent's Daughters. The girls in the painting are named Mary Louisa 8 years old on the far left alone, sitting on the floor is 4 year old Julia, leaning on the vase is 14 year old Florence she is the oldest, and next to her is 12 year Jane. Sargent became more of a famous artist then Ned Boit (Edward). This painting gives people mixed feelings, some artists were amaze by the way Sargent uses the paint brush. Other people begged museum staff members for admission tickets in order to see Sargent's gallery and these people come from long distances. Then they are those people who cry in front of the painting. Elkins said his wife will cry for 20 minutes in front of this painting and he does not know the reason why. This painting gave some authors the thought the girls were evil, while a blogger in 2005 posted that the youngest daughter Julia with the doll in between her legs revealed that she did not innocently play with that doll. Sargent was very talented artist and everyone recognize his work when he painted the daughters of Boit. He also spoke four languages, was in to music, played piano well, and had two sisters. Sargent learned painting skills from his French master. Sargent painted many portraits in Paris for most Americans. Ned Boit was also a painter, but his career was not working for him he was only really good at water colors he considered painting a profession while others thought of it as a hobby. Sargent had only painted four out of the eight of the Boit's children. Ned went to the Boston Latin School and to Harvard Law but was not really interested in it. Isa Boit, Ned's wife was a wealthy women. They did have a son first his name was Edward (Neddie) and second son John. Isa supported Ned's art career and even paid for it. Neddie could not talk at the age of two, so they considered him not normal and sent him to a boarding school to help him. None of Ned's work appeared in the Salon, well none of the work that was displayed there had his name of it. Ned and Isa lived in Paris for awhile with their daughters. Around the time Sargent painted the girls they were young. The girls would usually play in the park, gone for drives, and went to daytime concerts. They were also home schooled and had a maid, they read to each other alone and together. The youngest Julia called her doll Popau, and the girls were very talented performers. The girls did mature over the years, but people still see them as the little girls.

Quotation
After Sargent did the painting of the girls he stayed in Boston, "Their relationship did not end there...Sargent's relationship with the Boit family was long lasting and complex...They kept in touch" (Hirshler 4).

Reaction
I thought that after Sargent did the painting of the daughters that he was going to get his money and leave, it leaves me with the question what was so special about the Boit family that he was going to stick around longer? As the painting is know as "Sargent's Daughters" maybe he thought of Boit's daughters as his own since he did not have any children of his own. It was said that Sargent had two sisters and one of them was the same age as Jane. Their friendship must of been great since Sargent and the Boit family reach each other in many different ways, but did Sargent only have a good relationship with the parents or the daughters? The oldest girl leaning is not facing in the same direction as the other girls, does that mean she did not like Sargent that much. What makes their relationship complex? Other than that Sargent and Ned kept in touch for 25 years and decided to open a exhibit together. Sargent's portrait had a good affect because Ned was able to get some of his work out there. It was surprising that Sargent became friends with the Boit family because with all the other portraits he did, did not read about him having a long lasting friendship with them.