Strapless: John Singer Sargent and the Fall of Madame X
by Deborah Davis
Reviewed by Jennifer West
Artist John Singer Sargent's name is familiar, even among people who are
not sure exactly what he did. The subject of one of his best-known works was
the most famous woman of her day, yet her name is not remembered, and her
portrait is titled only as "Madame X". Author Deborah Davis set out to
discover why this should be. The result of her research, Strapless: John
Singer Sargent and the Fall of Madame X is a fascinating book.
Virgie Gautreau was a beautiful young woman from New Orleans. Her mother
carefully arranged her marriage to a wealthy French man. Living in Paris,
Virginie was a celebrity. Her clothing, appearance, likes and dislikes
were all reported daily.
Like Virginie, John Singer Sargent was also an American ex-patriate, but
compared to her, he was relatively unknown. Considered an up-and-coming
painter, he was the artist Virginie and her husband chose to paint her
portrait.
The actual painting took a very long time as Virginie bored easily and did not
want to pose for any longer than she had to.
Singer was a gifted artist and capable of subtly showing psychological
insights into his subjects. He planned to display the finished portrait at the
1884 Paris Salon. Both he and Virginie hoped for attention but neither of them
expected or were prepared for the over-whelming criticism that was to follow.
For Sargent had painted one strap of Gautreau's dress dangling from her
shoulder. This detail was considered so outrageous, so decadent, that the
portrait caused a scandal.
Virginie found herself the object of public ridicule. Feeling her reputation
had been irreparably damaged, she retired from public life, destroying all the
mirrors in her home so she would never have to look at herself again.
She had several other portraits painted of her in the years to follow but none
of them ever caught the public's attention as Singer's had.
Neither Virginie or her family wanted the painting, so Sargent kept the
painting in his studio, finally selling it after Virginie's death.
Today, Sargent's "Madame X" is one of the world's best-known portraits. As the
Metropolitan Art Museum's most frequently requested painting for loans, it
travels to museums around the globe. The image of "Madame X" decorates book
and magazine covers, greeting cards and screen savers.
She's even appeared as a Madame Alexander doll. Few people, though, remember
"Madame X" by her own name.
Debora Davis is a writer and veteran film executive who has worked as a story
editor and story analyst for Warner Bros., Columbia TriStar, Disney, Miramax,
and the William Morris Agency.