John Singer Sargent, born in 1856 in Florence, Italy, of American parents, is considered one of the greatest portrait painters of his time.
Trained in Paris under Carolus-Duran, Sargent spent most of his life in Europe, mainly in London, where he gained international renown as a painter of high society portraits.
Sargent created around 900 oil paintings and over 2,000 watercolors, as well as numerous sketches and drawings, documenting his travels around the world135.

To consolidate his reputation, he presented a portrait entitled “Madame X” at the Paris Salon in 1884, which was criticized for being too erotic and daring. The negative reaction was such that Sargent decided to leave Paris and settle in London, where he continued a successful career as a portrait painter.

Among his famous works :

. Carnation, Lily, Rose: this painting, depicting two young girls lighting Japanese lanterns, captivated the British public and marked the beginning of his success in England.

. El Jaleo: inspired by his travels in Spain, this painting captures the passion and energy of a flamenco dance scene, demonstrating Sargent's mastery in the representation of light and movement.