tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7468836798747722663.post8154636489372952501..comments2024-03-21T00:15:41.466-04:00Comments on Elizabeth Kerri Mahon: Madame X: The story behind one of the world's most famous paintingsElizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7468836798747722663.post-2288088614292764812009-06-14T08:22:50.450-04:002009-06-14T08:22:50.450-04:00"Portrait painters are in some ways pyschiatr..."Portrait painters are in some ways pyschiatrists, the best reveal the inner most workings of their subject."<br /><br />Wish I'd been one tenth as good a shrink as Sergeant was a painter!!<br /><br />Davedave hambidgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17196843999364876821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7468836798747722663.post-10796485662610423432009-05-26T10:21:39.431-04:002009-05-26T10:21:39.431-04:00Thanks so much, Kathy. I haven't heard of "I am Ma...Thanks so much, Kathy. I haven't heard of "I am Madame X" but now I'm intrigued. I may just have to read it.Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7468836798747722663.post-35680751133723527012009-05-24T16:36:38.321-04:002009-05-24T16:36:38.321-04:00John Singer Sargent is my absolute favorite artist...John Singer Sargent is my absolute favorite artist. I have many of his prints framed throughout my house...including Madame X. My favorite, however, is Mr and Mrs Isaac Newton Phelps Stokes. I actually have three prints of that framed...in my bedroom, in the guest bathroom and on the landing. <br /><br />I enjoyed reading "Strapless". I was blog "surfing" and found your review. You captured the tone of the book perfectly. Another good book on the subject is "I am Madame X" by Gioia Diliberto. It is the fictionalized account of her life. I think you might enjoy it.Kathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13987598950262475994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7468836798747722663.post-31455562436233083772009-05-21T21:37:42.154-04:002009-05-21T21:37:42.154-04:00Amelie's story is a classic example of what happen...Amelie's story is a classic example of what happens when a woman relies soley on her looks. Once those were gone, she felt that she had nothing to offer the world. I can't imagine what it must be like to be so admired, fawned over, and talked about, and then one day to wake up and find yourself irrelevant. In her later years, she regretted not having bought the painting from Sargent after all.Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7468836798747722663.post-70138301052346190552009-05-21T08:42:12.339-04:002009-05-21T08:42:12.339-04:00Thanks for thorough background on the lady. I firs...Thanks for thorough background on the lady. I first saw the lady Easter weekend of 1987 at Art Inst Chicago. They did retrospective of his work, and she is the one that lingers in memory.Perle Champion's Job Searchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17337810589519343240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7468836798747722663.post-76038379737378117902009-05-20T09:44:34.399-04:002009-05-20T09:44:34.399-04:00Amelie's story is tragic, particularly the end whe...Amelie's story is tragic, particularly the end where she alternately attempted to recreate the allure of her Sargent painting and hid from mirrors to deny her aging appearance. Sort of a reverse "Dorian Gray" it seems.Evangeline Hollandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00132593133675388609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7468836798747722663.post-45623069051511141832009-05-19T11:05:00.000-04:002009-05-19T11:05:00.000-04:00I found it interesting as well that he sold it to ...I found it interesting as well that he sold it to the Met and for so little money, considering he was making more than $3,000 a portrait by that time. Once Sargent got over his infatuation with Amelie he seems to have been able to see her as she was not, as he imagined her to be. He never had that level of infatuation with any of his subjects ever again.Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7468836798747722663.post-82996897712646246382009-05-18T16:43:00.000-04:002009-05-18T16:43:00.000-04:00I always thought that she was powdered dramaticall...I always thought that she was powdered dramatically and had neglected her ears! Now I feel tan just looking at her, and with my skin tone, that's saying something! I also didn't know Sargent sold it directly to the Met himself. <br /><br />Another famous painting from the 19th century that was shunned at the time of its unveiling.Heather Carrollhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03544318718074061879noreply@blogger.com