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The Lives That Were Ruined By The Painting Of A Woman’s Shoulders
Madame X, a portrait painted by American John Singer Sargent, shocked French society in the 1880s
Although art breeds controversy, interpretation and sometimes scandal, few paintings have ever garnered as much negative attention as American artist John Singer Sargent’s Madame X. This mesmerizing portrait, completed in 1884, depicts the stunning beauty of Madame Virginie Amélie Gautreau, a prominent socialite in Parisian high society. Despite the obvious skill of Sargent’s brushwork and the captivating allure of his subject, the oil painting created a buzzy scandal in France where it was displayed, ruining the painter and subject’s lives.
At first blush, Madame X appears to be a routine portrait, capturing the elegance and grace of a sophisticated and beautiful woman. However, considering the context of the time when it was created, it is obvious that Sargent intentionally departed from social mores. He boldly depicted Madame Gautreau, the wife of a prominent French banker, with her right shoulder dress strap provocatively lowered, revealing a bare shoulder and a plunging neckline, which was much more salacious than what was considered acceptable in the conservative society of the late 19th century. This flash of skin was considered so scandalous that it set society on its ear.
Madame X was Virginie Amélie Gautreau, who as the subject of the painting further fueled its scandal even further. She was a renowned beauty and a well-known figure in Parisian society. Her striking appearance, combined with her unapologetic and assertive demeanor, made her a subject of both fascination and controversy. In other words, she was the perfect subject for such a painting. Sargent had found himself so drawn to her that he had worked up the courage and approached her to sit for him.
However, the painting didn’t go off without some hitches. Sargent, desirous of presenting Gautreau in both a modern and alluring light, attempted to do so within the current societal norms. He initially wanted to portray her with a strapless dress, and hoped to exhibit the painting at the prestigious Paris Salon, but understood the likelihood that the portrait would be controversial. Accordingly, he chose a safer…
