John Singer Sargent: Venetian Figures and Landscapes 1898-1913: Complete Paintings: Volume VI Hardcover – May 26, 2009

I hesitated about spending the money on yet *another* Sargent book. (I own many books on Sargent, as he is one of my favorite artists.) But this was worth the price! The reproductions are excellent. This book is beautiful, but goes beyond just a 'coffee table - look pretty' book. As an artist, when I look at a book I hope to glean information about how an image was painted and this book really delivers this information, I'd say like no other book I own, except maybe my "Sargent and the Sea" book. For example: there are doodle sketches of gondoliers, old photos of Venice taken during Sargent's time, and modern-day photos, then we also get to see his painting using this reference material. Similar groupings (locations) of works are presented, so you can see the subjects and angles he liked to paint. Especially rewarding, is understanding from this information, that Sargent has changed certain things, like omitting buildings, enhancing/lightening shadows, etc. This information is critical to understanding how Sargent's mind composed the picture and I love absorbing this knowledge. There are some reproductions of other painters too, such as Brabazon who painted the same scene. Additionaly, the text, which I skimmed, actually has some interesting information, such as anecdotes about if the artist was painting in a boat, who he gave the painting too, etc.

My wife (an art teacher and watercolorist) and I (a mere art lover) give this book our highest recommendation. In our opinion, Sargent's incredible technique and his sense of composition are absolutely first-rank. We are fortunate to live in the Northeast Corridor and thus have been able to go to museums and see in person many of Sargent's works. We were struck by, and very appreciative of, the many works which are reproduced in this book which are in private collections, and thus not normally available to museum goers. The quality of the reproductions is excellent. The thoroughness and completeness of this series of books on Sargent by Ormond and Kilmurray is first-rate and has greatly increased our enjoyment and appreciation of Sargent and his art. This book is a worthwhile purchase when one considers its exceptional value. For the price of an average restaurant dinner, you get a book which will bring you, again and again, visual pleasure and insights into the art of a great artist.

Delightful from cover to cover, this is one book not to miss, especially if you love watercolors. While not referencing watercolors in the title, a majority of the paintings are indeed watercolors of Venice.I've often wondered if Sargent really painted only one version of Santa Maria della Salute, as only one watercolor of the subject ever seems to find it's way into books. This volume resoundingly answers that question with at least 3 oils and 10 watercolors of Santa Maria della Salute, viewed from different angles. There are numerous suites of watercolors of the same subject revealed throughout this book.It's both instructive and satisfying to view many previously unpublished watercolor masterpieces. Moreover, one simply feels tremendously energized to see how Sargent, endowed and gifted with so much talent, still worked diligently- perhaps almost every waking moment- to accomplish the great legacy of work that he left behind.Thank you, Mr. Ormond and Ms. Kilmurray for painstakingly providing such a wonderful volume.

This large collection of Sargent watercolors focuses on the ones he painted in Venice between 1898-1913, as the title indicates. Sargent's paintings are wonderful, as usual, but what makes this book unique is what Else is included the book. Sargent's companions, who accompanied him on the trips and painted skillfully alongside him, are also included in the book. Interestingly, these companions occasionally found their way into some of Sargent's work, giving a sense of camaraderie. Often, Sargent would paint the same location more than once, so those paintings are shown, as are photographs of the actual locations. It's really fascinating and instructive to be able to compare all those different perspectives of the same subjects. The plates are in color, the book is large, and well-priced. Overall, it is a very good value.

Throughout his career—and particularly in the period from 1898 to 1913—John Singer Sargent painted the spectacular architecture and scenes of everyday life in Venice. This book presents all the luminous masterworks that Sargent completed during fifteen-year period: oils and watercolors that reveal his taste for the Renaissance, Baroque, and high style in art and architecture.The book reproduces and documents 141 works, including several that are published for the first time. An authoritative essay explores the aesthetics of Sargent’s Venetian work, explains Sargent’s relationships with his patrons in Venice, and discusses the exhibitions and marketing of this work in London and New York. The book also provides a map of Venice marking every known location that Sargent painted and displays dozens of contemporary color photographs of the sites.

I was disappointed in this book. The images are nearly all watercolors and certainly not among Sargent's best. Way overpriced for the content. I would really only rate this 3.5 stars.

Still three more volumes to go...This volume of Singer-Sargents complete paintings presents his wonderful venetian watercolor-paintings (and most of his oil-paintings of Venice) , and like all the other volumes in this series (eight volumes are planned, as far as I know) it gets my highest possible recommendation.The accompanying text is astonishingly well researched and the reproduction of the images leaves nothing to complain about.If you are seriously interested in collecting Singer-Sargent, then you don't need to look no further than this wonderful series of books, edited and written by Richard Ormond & Elaine Kilmurray.Can we now get Volume V and the rest, please...?