What I notice most about this painting is that none of the four girls are engaging with each other at all. Each is existing in a separate space, not playing with each other or even looking at each other. There’s none of that sense of boisterous connection - whether it’s having fun or fighting over their toys - that you would expect from sisters. They seem so isolated. That’s what really makes the painting feel so melancholy to me. Great video as always! Thanks so much for sharing your insights into these great works of art.
Their parents who were paying for the painting after all, probably had something to do with deciding what it looks like. They ordered it, and he painted what they asked for.
The oldest girl obviously has an attitude, but seems to have a closer relationship with the sister next to her. The two younger sisters are excluded. This happened in my own family and it’s not a lot of fun. I have a feeling this dynamic is not unusual.
@@broccolize if you look closely, they are not holding hands. It could be what the artist wants us to see: it seems like they are holding hands from afar, but if you glance closely, they are not.
Agree, this is practically a photo, or at least what would pass for one back before photographs. It's documenting, not really stylizing or a portraiture for posterity.
@@catserver8577 It is very much like a photo. Of course, photography was about as established a technology when this portrait was painted as personal computers are today. So photography was certainly available to the Boit family, but sometimes a painting by a master is more realistic than a photograph.
One of my favorites of his is "Homer Saint-Gaudens and his Mother." Little Homer looks so incredibly bored and very much a kid. I love how with all of Sargent's portraits the people look like real people and not the cardboard cutouts that can often happen, like everything is fake. You can very easily imagine his sitters turning and talking to someone immediately after that frozen moment.
I see 4 girls who are less important to their parents than those large, pretentious vases. That the vases are displayed with this portrait, speaks volumes to me.
I completely agree. Their (the vases) standing sentinel alongside this portrait of unhappy siblings is somehow disturbing. I love the back story, because it further illuminates the already sad vibe of this piece. I have no doubt that Sargent once again discerned and captured the underlying personality of his subject(s).
Or the girls, at 4 different stages of childhood, are less important to their parents than their own indulgenced adult lives, represented by the large, useless vases. The right vase, in similar lighting to the middle girl, seems to be completing a frame.
Childhood emotional neglect is this destructive. It damages your ability to form attachments or even trust other people. It makes sense for those who suffer it to never marry. I’m sure every suitor that came along just seemed like a golddigger to these girls. Funny how they described the oldest sister as being disrespectful to her mother. Can’t imagine why…
This is called CPTSD and it's healable. But back in the day psychiatry was really weird and not-effective. If the only cause was childhood abuse and neglect - you can heal the illness without any medication. But I bet they did not even try. CPTSD lowers you immune defences if it's severe and lowers your energy severely. It's actually a death sentence in some cases. It's very sad how they did not really treat such illnesses back in the day with the right kinda exercises ext. Tragedy could have been avoided.
They would have been just a gold digger. Also marriage wouldn't have held anything of value for these girls contraception was still unavailable ...so why marry?
There is a lot more going on in this painting than childhood neglect. The narration gives clues that the abuse is much worse than you can imagine. That's why the girls never married, were withdrawn, and angry. One ended up in an asylum, the other was sick. Probably predisposed to mental illness from their mother.
Some people never fully recover from CPTSD/PTSD not even with modern help. The symptoms can improve, but it's always there, in the background, lurking.
when i first saw this art piece, I thought it had a similar feeling of victorian death photography, I automatically thought the two older girls were deceased - seeing the "thousand yard stare" of one and the side profile (where it looks like her eyes are closed) compared to the other two daughters were what immediately gave me this feeling
Before you mentioned the girls were sisters my first thoughts were the older two in the dark clothing were maids, barely older than the ones they were catering to and peering out of the shadows at the illumination on the privileged daughters of wealth
God knows why, but seeing the real vases placed on the side of the painting filled my heart with sudden sadness. If I had to guess, is probably because those vases were in the room when Sargent painted the girls, and none of them lived a particularly happy life, for some of the sisters it actually ended tragically. And now they are all long gone, the girls, their parents, Sargent. But the goddamn vases are still there, looking pretty much the same.
@@heliotropezzz333 Like you’ve never hit the wrong button in your autocomplete menu. Don’t be such a tedious pedant; it doesn’t make you look smart, it makes you look like you want people to *think* you’re smart without having to put in the effort to actually learn something interesting. Get a better hobby.
It almost seems like the vases are more "alive" than the two elder sisters. I'm sure, given their ages, that they have become aware that they are less important to their parents than the beautiful objects d'art surrounding them.
Great observation! I do think Sargent placed the older girls in the shadows for a reason. Possibly to show that they're disinterested or maybe for some darker reason. I love that this painting always keeps us guessing!
It's interesting to me that Florence, given what occurs in her life in the future, is the one Sargent chose to portray in profile and darkness. And it doesn't surprise me that Jane would appear unsettled, even scared. 12 is a pretty scary age for anyone. The number of changes, both physically and in expectations, everything, are frightening. What a brilliant painting. Thank you for this piece, for sure. Can't wait to re-visit it down the line.
@@pliktl Fascinating. Looking at with that idea, it's also so interesting. It really is one heck of a painting, and one I hadn't been familiar with. So many different looks.
Flat affect is what they were describing with the oldest daughter. She has no interest and always seems bored. It is an extremely common and very noticeable of Schizophrenia.
@@WhitneyDahlin…. unless you’re autistic - many of us can’t read facial expressions and don’t naturally have any and the world around us rarely holds any interest for us
Fascinating commentary and analysis on so many levels... tragic story of the girls in many ways and those creepy vases towering over them as the "absent parents" -- just WOW that they're in the Boston museum with the painting even today! Thanks for the excellent content!
The only word that this piece tells me is "absence". And yet you can take more from this painting. A good piece of art always keeps you wondering even if the topic could be something as simple as an artist connecting with four girls whose parents happened to have a similar parenting style like his own parents did.
Honestly this kind of hits for me as someone with C-PTSD. I have this one particular picture of me as a kid, I'm probably three or four. And to most people, it probably looks unremarkable, even happy. Going by the situation, I should be happy in it. But I don't look happy. I don't look sad. I don't look like anything. In this really specific eerie way, my face is expressing no emotion whatsoever. And the part that really gets to me, is that my huge kid eyes are completely dull, and empty. There's no sparkle in them, no presence. I look almost like a deactivated animatronic. I've never seen another face exactly like it. But Jane has it. The same haunting, vacant aura, that looks almost unsettlingly neutral at first, but the longer you look at it, you could almost swear it gets more distressed. The face of emotional blunting.
I've seen so many photos of myself as a kid where I'm just disassociating. People just say I look tired or a "little bit sad" but they can never put it into words. I'm literally in standby and nobody realized it Seeing pictures of children like that is so intrinsically sad
I can relate to seeing your childhood pictures and saw you weren't happy or showed emotions. While I don't have C-PTSD, I do have bipolar depression. I've seen pictures of myself as a teenager and it was shocking to see what I was going through, on the outside looking in. I saw my depression and just feeling absent. My parents thought I was a moody teenager but I was struggling with depression and having to deal with a mentally abusive stepfather. It was 30 years ago and I didn't really know about depression. I was very isolated as we lived in a rural area that was a vacation spot so there weren't any kids around. I had no friends and I only had my siblings to spend time with. It was better when we moved to an area where I was around other kids and made friends, but I still struggled mentally. I did come out of my shell when I finally had friends. My friends could see that he despised me and he didn't treat me well. Fortunately now as an adult, I have psychiatric care and medications so I'm much healthier mentally. I wouldn't ever want to go back to those days.
There are photos of me proudly displayed in my parents' house that look exactly like Jane. There are photos of me now, albeit fewer, on the social media pages of friends that also look exactly like Jane.
Insightful commentary. Sargent hated children and they usually returned the sentiment. After painting the Pailleron children, also in Paris, he said he'd rather paint a cabbage than ever paint another child.
Sargent was prone to sarcasm. He was very close to the children of the families he traveled with and was very fond of his nieces and nephews. His paintings of Rose-Marie clearly show that side of him. Anyhow, can you imagine dealing with those other rich spoiled brats?
@OP andI @plikt: It might help to know that 'cabbage' ('chou'* in French ) is a word of endearment for those we love, especially children. And don't almost all of us sometimes have ambiguous feelings about our dear little rascals ? BTW, french babies are born among the leaves of cabbages, not brought by the stork. *(pronounced shoo not chow)
Jane's face, as she stands next to her sister just shy of the encompassing darkness, has an eerie resemblance to those of children in post mortem photographs, popular with Victorians at this time. Very creepy.
What I see: Every photo and painting of Sargent, his expression is he has "seen things" and he's deeply affected by them. In the children's portrait, I see the girl on the left as finding the experience slightly distasteful and intrusive. She may even know that he is, in fact, correctly judging their situation. The toddler girl is just old enough to barely tolerate this activity, and it's waning. The eldest sister is plainly intolerant of the whole situation, and has probably been threatened with punishment by the parents if she doesn't comply. She's also probably there to accompany the other sister, who I would guess is slightly disabled mentally or emotionally. She seems mentally is unable to show even casual interest in what is happening, but is capable of following instruction. It's almost like the artist was visiting the family and came upon this room full of children and wasn't expecting it. Unlike the painting it is compared to, there are no adults, no nannies, no parents, no one. Today it would be like someone photographing for evidence of neglect. The whole painting seems cloaked in an air of dismay by the artist.
@@DeathnoteBB The creator of the video asked what we see. Rather than being so snarky, why don't you watch the entire thing again and if you still feel the need to say anything, tell her what you see. It's really that simple, and not at all new.
I think this is an insightful interpretation of the painting, based on information the narrator provided. My first knee-jerk impression before hearing the history behind the painting and subjects was that the little girl in the foreground was the "golden child" of the family. She's the only one who looks comfortable gazing directly at the viewer, and she's bathed in golden light unlike her sisters. I was wrong, of course, that's why it's essential to get more info.
@@catserver8577 The video saying to explain your interpretation doesn’t mean armchair diagnosis is something I agree with. I’m just a disabled person sick of seeing people armchair diagnose complete strangers with things ranging from autism to narcissistic personality disorder. An interpretation is allowed to be critiqued.
The most jarring thing to me is the girl on the left almost has no shadow? Like she's a ghost or something. Her being the closest to the window her shadow should be caste across the floor to her right just as dark as her sister's sitting on the floor but it's not?
its insane how intuitive Sargent got with this painting, it represents so much about the uncertainty and the nebulous cycle of childhood innocence to adulthood, its like staring to a void filled with aet froze people. Truly his most captivating masterpiece
I detect some fear on Jane's face. This is my first time seeing this painting and the first thing I thought was that these girls were playing in this room and then someone they don't like walked in and the three older ones, understanding what's going on, scatter whilst the oblivious youngest just sits there mildly interested.
I’ve been to the MFA in Boston and stood in front of this painting and the towering porcelain vases. The children do seem melancholy and it’s a strange moody work of art- but I never knew the background of the sisters or what happened to them. Sargent truly was a master artist who seemed to capture the inner life of each person he painted. Great commentary
I, too, visit the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, since I live in a beautiful town a few miles away. It is stunning, and an absolutely tour of force. I did graduate work in Art History and was a portrait Painter. The portraits at the MFA are the best and most numerous in the U.S. that I have found during my working years while painting.
Sargent's paintings are remarkable for their technique. At normal viewing distance they look photo-realistic, but closer up, they are revealed to be splashes and daubs of paint. The brushstrokes are clearly visible, and yet he clearly portrays different materials; satin, starched cotton, velvet.
The left-hand little girl in the pinafore has been used as a cover for Henry James' 'What Maisie Knew'. I always thought it was an apt comparison, given the girl's expression.
Raised by authoritarian parents who showed no love or affection or attention and scapegoated me , I recognize the emotional states of these children. I need a copy of this painting. I can connect with these children, and want to tell them they are loved everyday. Interesting to see yourself so clearly in a painting from over 100 years ago. Sorry for over sharing, I was so saddened for these children in this painting.
It’s extremely relatable to you in that sense…I see the fours stages of transitioning childhood. This is a little eerie and disturbing though. I hope you got your copy. 😊
The children are so emotionally separate from each other. The three older girls looks like they were just seriously punished to force them to pose. I also wonder about the father. All four refusing to marry? Odd for the time.
We don't know wheter they refused to marry or just didn't find the right men. Also, unmarried women was not that much of an odd thing at the time, but they were usually looked at with pity.
@@meridaskywalker7816Unmarried women were pitied because it usually meant a life of dependence on relatives and poverty. That wasn't the case with the rich. Jane Austen explained it in Emma.
Speaking of Sargent, you might want to take a look at his "Gassed." Sargent was from an earlier generation of painters than the great WW1 artists (Otto Dix and Paul Nash for example), but he still manages to capture the horror and alienation of the conflict.
@@Art_Deco It hurts to look at those children. I had a friend with a mother like they had…not pretty. It’s left me suspicious of parents who claim to be “best friends” with their children.
Wow, thanks for sharing. He certainly knew sadness! Looking it up I see he was influenced by Pieter Bruegel’s “The Parable of the Blind.” Massive & heartbreaking - we owe a great debt to the generations before us. I love when artists allude to each other. This is a great channel!
Though these four girls are now long gone from the earth, the sadness conveyed by these little faces will be around forever. This made me weep. 😢 *RIP, little ones; you are **_NOT_** forgotten.*
You’ve presented a compelling case against the current state of A.I generated “art,” none of which exhibit the level of sophistication or humanity you have explored with this painting. Thank you.
Yet they perfectly capture the absense of humanity, it is often presents very non-intentional perfectly lovecraftian eeriness. From uneasiness to all out horror, AI art certainly has a normal, dignified niche, but, alas, we're using it as every and any art asset known to man (:
The picture depicts loneliness and emptiness more than anything else in my view. These girls are isolated and friendless in this nearly empty room. They are like ghosts. They stand apart from each other and aren’t interacting in any way. Reminds me of a police photo of a child, taken when it was found in a cave. A frightened apparition lit up with a flashlight. It’s as if the painter is sounding the alarm for the neglect and abuse these girls are suffering.
@@autumn5852 defiantly, but the painter probably a purpose with that arrangement. He seems to be trying to express their isolation and sadness. These girls didn’t have a happy life.
@@prakkari I’ve read a bit more into it and this painter is said to have had an extraordinary way of seeing things that others can’t see and that he would often follow his subjects around and make several pictures before he got a feel for things and then he would dress and arrange them to express what he saw in them. The painter was close friends with the father and mother and greatly admired the father’s painting skills as he was also an artist. The family mixed in the upper class art circles and the mother was always joyful yet childlike and had many other positive qualities, which definitely sounded like autism. Also, these girls had an older brother who was non verbal autistic (I think all the children were and also the mother) but he was put into care at an early age as his needs were very complex but it seems they did try to support him because he was more than two when he went into care. It’s said Jane had anorexia (which is now linked to autism) and that the family travelled Europe to find a cure for her. The girls were said to be close and the youngest two lived together all their lives. The oldest one was the only one to form a long term relationship and it was with their cousin who was also called Jane; it was said Jane fell in love with her cousin and they lived in what was then termed as a Boston marriage - two females living together almost like man and wife. They had friends and close family who would visit. The four girls gifted the painting and the vases to the museum in remembrance of their father, who was said to adore his wife. When his wife passed away, he married a young woman, a friend of his second youngest daughter who was something like 30 years his junior and they had two kids together. Oh, when the vase were gifted they were full of all sorts of rubbish so maybe they used them as a kind of rubbish bin. When the painting was first exhibited, for the first 100 years or so, it was thought to be a delightful picture of children at play, nobody ever saw what people later saw in the painting, with the introduction of psychiatry etc. They had much to say about the style of the painting in terms of the void and shadows etc but it was said to be a style he had learned from one of his masters who he greatly admired. It was also said to be a painting about the coming of age and the different stages of life that we all go through, for example, the eldest daughter was going through that unpredictable stage of adolescence, into the unknown, which can be a very scary place and of course we now know that she was a lesbian which was probably why her mother was disappointed in her at her coming out/coming of age parties because she wouldn’t have been interested in boys or dressing up like most of the other young ladies of that time if she was a lesbian. The youngest was said to be positioned in front of the painting because being so young, she was still in need of most of the attention, so it was said that the painter was trying to convey the different stages of life that we all go through. The youngest became a great painter like her father but didn’t pursue it as a professional career as she wanted to simply enjoy the experience of it without the pressure of exhibitions etc and I can understand that as I have a friend who is a great artist and he won’t sell his painting professionally as his painting is more for him, so he’s a free hand tattooist for his work. The second youngest daughter (I forget the names) became a great pianist but again not professionally but they didn’t need money so I can see why they didn’t pursue professional careers. That daughter was nicknamed Isa, I think it was, which was the same nickname as the mother. They were mostly raised in Paris and lived there until the world war when they all moved back to Boston.
@@zapazap According to what is said the girls didn’t have playmates or friends. They traveled a lot around with their parents never establishing any roots. Later in life they all are said to have been recluse and private. I guess it’s not such a wild assumption for me to have felt this about the painting.
When I look at this painting, what strikes me most is the bareness of the room and the vast empty spaces. This is not a playroom for children. It's place they've been dumped for the sake of convenience. In fact, it doesn't even have as much decoration as you'd expect from the home of a rich couple; it's a storeroom with nothing to store. Except the girls. Someone threw the littlest one a doll, but she doesn't seem interested in it; she was just told to pose with it. And Sargent caught it all in those vast, sad spaces. I feel so bad for the four girls.
What I love about your analysis... At first glance, I only see a usual painting of four girls. After watching your video, I see one girl laid on the wall and around her three ghosts girls with awkward standing staring at me. If one by one looks totally fine, the whole portrait now is pretty scary.
I love this painting and I totally agree instead of painting 4 sisters and a family he painted 4 individuals with their own personalities. Also I love the composition because it isn't easy painting an even number of subjects successfully. But the composition is beautifully done and the little story going on behind the scenes draws you in.
I wonder about Florence. Her uncle said that she didn't get along with her mother and wasn't interested in any of the things young girls of her age ought to be interested in. When she became independent, she didn't marry and lived with her cousin. Later she had a profound interest and involvement in golf. Then she had 'mental illness' troubles and ended up in an institution, where she died. Was she gay?
I literally just finished watching a queer analysis of "The Great Gatsby" and when Florence was mentioned to have liked golf, I immediately thought about Jordan Baker.
I've seen Jane's expression before. In pictures of me from my childhood. I wasn't wealthy, but I lived in a bad household. I've seen that expression after panic attacks. I can only imagine what that little girl went through, even if it was just emotional neglect, to make her hold such an expression.
True. I saw someone else comment that she kind of looks like she's having trouble breathing. I wonder if she could be in the middle of a panic attack in the portrait.
Julia: Is sulking a little because playtime was probably interrupted for this and she wants to go back to her dolly. Mary Louisa: Is clearly used to posing for photos (probably considered the 'pretty one', at least until Julia came about) and is enduring stoically until the ordeal is over. Jane: Has SEEN THINGS. Is probably seeing them right there and then. Pleading for help with her eyes. Florence: Is clearly only there because her parents made her. All four: NOT enjoying the experience. Oooor maybe the artist just asked them to pose like that, and everyone is reading too much into things, as usual. Seriously, though, WHAT a painting. It's like a psycho-thriller version of 'Las Niñas'.
Sargent’s technique is impeccable and no doubt captures the spirit and spark of his subjects. When I saw the photographs of his subjects and the finished paintings in museums, I can’t help but think his career was bolstered by his ability to create a much more attractive portrait of the subject. He was painting through some beauty filters.
Sargent is my FAVORITE portrait artist. I remember going to a Washington museum and saw one by chance and literally cried while studying the painting close up through the happy tears.
I have the same reaction whenever I'm fortunate enough to see a Sargent. I am utterly mesmerised by his sense of his subject, be it their ego, insecurity, sadness, vanity.. it is so apparent! It always seems like a better capture of this than even a photograph could convey!!!
Sargent, in my estimation towers above his contemporaries. Whenever I look at his paintings, I am struck that they also seem to be psychological studies. I never get tired of his art. He is my favorite artist of all time.
@@karenblack2869 Oh yes! Hard to believe that a fallen strap could destroy both a young woman’s life and a painter’s reputation. Especially with all the nudes painted by other artists. But, I guess it was a class thing. Who cared about the reputation of showgirls and shopgirls?
@@jezebelle57 Right?! And yet, true to Singer's abilities he captured her personality, sexuality and daring perfectly. The old guard mentality that presided over the salon was fickle and protective of Their Own - but had no issues with provocative paintings of the Lower Classes. I wish I had had the money to buy a Sargent before his worth and reputation exploded. All I can do is revel at and lovingly take them in on museum walls (and I've been fortunate to see a few in my travels!). I think one of the reasons why he wasn't appreciated enough was that he had so many more famous contemporaries. But he was THE maestro of portraiture. I've seen several Reynolds, Gainsboroughs etc. and they, in their own styles, pandered to ego rather than exposing it.
I have always been fascinated and saddened by portraits like this one. We have no idea what Jane was suffering from. Women who were "different" often were institutionalized or had carers for the rest of their lives but who knows what her diagnosis might have really been. The vases make me feel sad. Constant companions and reminders of their neglect. Sad.
I always look forward to your interpretation of the selected painting. I think you really nailed this one. It was thoroughly engaging. Knowing a bit of the back story of the subjects, their parents and the artist, adds so much depth to it. I'd really like to know what Sargent thought of it.
During highschool art class we were each assigned to an artist and had to recreate one of their paintings, I had to do this one of the daughters of Edward Darley Boyd. The reason was the teacher said I had problems going darker and using more shadows with my paintings as they're too light, I really hated doing this and it turned out weird looking in the end😅
Based on your analysis and my own interpretations, what I see is that this painting is a view into the psychological and emotional life that children can create when their left to become their own parents to each other and family to each other. They don’t have the skills or ability or maturity to fulfill each other. They’re just left to their own devices, while they are left with their needs are met.
First time ever seeing this painting, tysm! For me, I saw it as the way children have to live up to different expectations. The girl on the carpet is the youngest child, who is more naive and only cares about playing and happiness. Her white dress has her stand out more than the other girls and is always the center of attention. The girl in the red is the golden child, standing up straight and facing the viewer directly, almost as if she was performing for us. She can never be as eye-catching as the youngest girl, but does her best to be the "good" child. The older girl in the middle is the forgotten middle child, always wanting to be seen but ultimately being overshadowed by her younger sisters. She has a similar stance to the girl in red, but her hands being shown show an honesty and longing to be seen. Finally, the girl by the vase, is what I am guessing is the oldest child as she is the tallest one. She's similar to the girl beside her and is likely what happens when they outgrow their parents. They become married off like a sold-off vase and will likely not see their parents as much. She becomes a distant figure mentioned at the table, but never really remembered for who she is, which is why her face isn't really shown. Tl;dr for me each girl represents the different stages of life parents see their child in.
I discovered your channel by chance. After the first video I couldn’t stop watching them. Your way of explaining the stories behind these paintings is both funny and informative, something not so easy to do at the same time. I can’t wait for the next video, love from 🇮🇹
Your mini-documentaries are so interesting! I am an enormous fan of Sargent, and it adds so much to hear background on and insight into his paintings. Thank you!
I did see this painting and it’s absolutely incredible. Probably the most hauntingly, mesmerizing painting I’ve ever seen. I had a hard time moving away from it. Also, the painting is over seven feet long, which adds to the overwhelming affect.
1. "Golf enthusiast" "rude and not interested in what a girl her age should be" Harold, she's a lesbian 2. As the oldest sibling of 4 afabs raised by abusive and neglectful parents this painting hits hard and is heartrending. To know that the girls struggled to connect with people later in life after having the childhood we see implied in the painting is not surprising, just tragic. Not surprising that the haunted girl whose eyes never leave the viewer died young after having mental illness from age 18. I'm tempted to project my own experiences and assume they are shared because the vibe of the painting is so familiar
I thought No. 1 immediately. Imagine the loneliness of that when you are being socially programmed to be a certain person, and you are simply not that person, and can't relate to the nonsense your mother is spouting at you continually
I prefer not to speculate about people's sexuality (Kit Conner anyone?). There's either written down evidence or we're just projecting. But I understand what you mean about loneliness, the fact that none of them are engaged with each other even in a family setting is just plain unatural.
@@MegaPokemon1997 I hear you and I get what you're saying but I do understand why people might get that vibe. I guess in some ways it's maybe recognising themself there.
@@MegaPokemon1997I find whenever people say “don’t assume someone is gay” they’re actually saying “because straight is the default.” But the fact is that some people are gay and this person might be one of them. And it’s as wrong to make educated guesses about what kind of partner they might be interested in based on who you see them flirting with, as it is to see someone lining up at a Starbucks and guessing that they might be thinking of buying something at Starbucks. Yes, outing someone or pressuring someone to be out is bad. Spreading rumors is bad. Looking at this woman (of whom is no longer alive nor are any of her direct descendants) who is a fan of one of the gayest sports for women and reportedly had no interest in men or typical girl things, who was then later institutionalized for rEaSoNs in a time when people with homosexual tendencies were 100% institutionalized as being mentally ill, and thinking “hm … may have been a lesbian” is NOT the same thing as what happened to Kit Connor.
I’ve never thought of anything but beauty in this painting. The idea that the vases are symbolic of the absent parents is compelling but for me upsetting. I never liked floor vases before I realized how beautiful these are and I read that matched vases in some ways represent a married couple. Ever since then I’ve wanted vases like this and looked for some I could afford.
This is a perfect start :) Taking a guided tour at an art museum helps too, because they know all the stories behind the pieces (usually) and ask them questions ❤
First thing that disturbed me about the paintihg was the composition. It is off centred, disorganised. If the girls were not so masterfully rendered, i'd think the artist isn't very good, or has limited notions of composition, harmony etc. But it strikes me that every one of these elements were misplaced on purpose. The work isn't meant to be harmonious and appealing. It's as if the girls were gathered in the room against their will, by parents who value those 2 vases more than their own children. The old saying: "children must be seen, not heard". In this case, parents were like: " ok, we wanna see you for a few hours, then off you go, don't bother us"
Sargent maybe created this portrait to reflect to their parents a message of their own emotional neglect of these girls. The oldest looked for boundaries at that age I think, since warm emotional bonds were lacking. Thank you for your scholarly analysis. I hadn't appreciated Sargeant so much before, though I grew up in New England, where his works are on display in the area.
I so enjoyed your critique of this painting. The sound of your voice is really soothing, not jarring or anything which makes me want to know about the subject. Thanks.
I am always amazed at these art breakdowns. I am someone who loves art and makes art. But I never feel like I 'get' art. These videos have taught me more than the art history I had in my education.
I have viewed this haunting and haunted portrait many, many times where it hangs in the MFA, Boston, Massachusetts. That it is flanked by those Japanese vases is at once delightful (momentarily) and profoundly disturbing-as if two albeit exquisite pieces of pottery were of more value than the tragically beautiful four little girls-most certainly one of Singer Sargent’s many masterpieces.
I’ve visited this painting often since I frequent the Museum of Fine Arts here in Boston. It was so beautiful and daunting to me; I did a report on this piece ‘my senior year of high-school and went on to delve much deeper into his work. It’s also in my opinion that the artist, like most, saw himself in each character of daughters. Captivating time standing still, yet almost telling the story of their individual future as well. And I to feel the cutting off of the vase to the right is infuriating! Loved this one! Thanks Art Deco! 🤘🏼
I love this channel. Apart from being beautifully presented, each video offers a fascinating insight into the story behind each painting.. This channel is a work of art itself! 🎨👏
So sad,mommy,and daddy,too busy to spend time with their children.I would never have guessed the back story of this painting,and frankly,now knowing it is kind of depressing.But it's still a marvelous work of art.Thanks for the video.
Two aspects about this painting strike me as curious. While the girls are dressed in pinafores, they really aren't playing or doing anything that might stain their clothing. Second, the painting feels unbalanced to me as if when hanging it, it naturally would rotate counterclockwise. The left side feels really 'heavy'. I have no interpretation for these observations though.
Very interesting commentary ! I love Sargent’s portraits, they are undeniably masterful & the brushwork has such life. Very interesting to learn about some of his friends. I’m in the process of finding out more about him, so thanks for this ….😊
This was really interesting. As a viewer who hadn't seen this painting before, I was wondering what could be so tragic. The space also suggests that they are on their own from their parents and each other. The oldest seems to be struggling with something, and with her sister of close age possibly being mentally disabled, she probably felt very lonely. The two who are the least aware of the tragic reality are the ones doing what they're asked. The others have too much on their minds. Thank you.
Wonderful video! I just found your channel 2 days ago and have been binge watching whenever I get the chance! 😊 I love art and learning art history in such fun way is fantastic!!! Thank you so much for all your hard work making these videos. I'm definitely looking forward to more! I know this is bold of me to ask, but would you consider making a video on any great watercolorists? I would love it!!😃😃😃
First thing I thought when the painting was put on screen was “wow you can tell who the parent liked/the painter noticed who was liked the most in order” the shadows covering each girl more and more while the youngest is painted in an almost angelic light. Edit: the older girls having physical and mental health issues likely started as kids, but was called “bad behavior” and/or they were “faking” being physically ill. Based on the time period. This most likely led to being treated worse than the other children. Likely being the reason the parents favored the girls who acted how they wanted them to and is part of the reason the older girls were faded into the background. Also being “rude and ungrateful” probably being the outcome of parents playing clear favorites. Note: I’m not an expert in paintings, but I am a preschool teacher who is hired mostly to help with disabled children. I have been trained to do so. I also have done article 9 training (called something different in every state, but I highly recommend that even if you’re not working with People with disabilities and if your a teacher at any level I especially recommend it.) I’ve worked in home assist to help parents learn how to handle their kids who have developmental disabilities (a disability diagnosed before the age of 18), help kids learn how to be independent to the best of their ability. (Not necessarily being able to live on their own, but doing their own laundry, doing basic chores, getting their own snacks, picking out and putting clothes on by themselves.) I would still never call myself even close to an expert. I don’t think anyone can really be an “expert” in children. 😊
The composition and brushwork of this painting are absolutely stunning. I hadn't seen it before... I instantly recognized the referral to Velasquez's masterwork, and find it even more purposefully unsettling. Thank you for bringing this work to my attention. Sargent rises in my estimation. Whistler was moving in this direction, I think.
What a powerful video about parental love, maturity and ourselves. "Mirrors are a worthless invention. The only way to truly see yourself is in the reflection of ..."
Definitely recommend seeing this at the museum of fine arts. I was struck by this painting when I saw it and it immediately reminded me of Las Meninas. Fantastic video as always!
The half vase is telling. It says there is a parent who isn't there for them. Their mother sounds like she was bi polar, so I think Sargent recognized this instinctively.
I’ve seen this painting and the vases at the MFA and have spent a lot of time on it. Thank you the background information it’s helpful to see it in a different light.
My first thought before knowing the backstory was that it was two maids/nannies reluctantly looking over the wealthy children. After hearing the story, and the description of the parents, I wonder: could the mother have had Nerodivergency, or perhaps a learning disability that kept her more childlike? Perhaps her children were also born with some of this, and when coupled with parental neglect resulted in their stunted mental and emotional growth.
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What I notice most about this painting is that none of the four girls are engaging with each other at all. Each is existing in a separate space, not playing with each other or even looking at each other. There’s none of that sense of boisterous connection - whether it’s having fun or fighting over their toys - that you would expect from sisters. They seem so isolated. That’s what really makes the painting feel so melancholy to me.
Great video as always! Thanks so much for sharing your insights into these great works of art.
i noticed that too, but the older sisters are holding hands it looks like. not sure if that's supposed to mean anything?
He probably had them posing at different times ?…
Their parents who were paying for the painting after all, probably had something to do with deciding what it looks like. They ordered it, and he painted what they asked for.
The oldest girl obviously has an attitude, but seems to have a closer relationship with the sister next to her. The two younger sisters are excluded. This happened in my own family and it’s not a lot of fun. I have a feeling this dynamic is not unusual.
@@broccolize if you look closely, they are not holding hands. It could be what the artist wants us to see: it seems like they are holding hands from afar, but if you glance closely, they are not.
These girls look like real children, not staues or models. This painting is a great recreation of what a photo looks like & is not just a portrait.
That’s why I thought some of them were maids at firsts. They weren’t idealized and pristine looking.
Agree, this is practically a photo, or at least what would pass for one back before photographs. It's documenting, not really stylizing or a portraiture for posterity.
@@catserver8577 It is very much like a photo. Of course, photography was about as established a technology when this portrait was painted as personal computers are today. So photography was certainly available to the Boit family, but sometimes a painting by a master is more realistic than a photograph.
@@mrw1208 Or, if you are a tiresome wealthy family who wants the painting as a status symbol.
Even better than a photo id say.
Sargent's ability to capture the humanity of his subjects is absolutely unreal.
He had such a gift!
I know right🤤❤️💕👍💖😏😲
So, not real?
Are the older girls servants, with their aprons & all?
Other than that, I don't get what deeper meanings are conveyed here.
One of my favorites of his is "Homer Saint-Gaudens and his Mother." Little Homer looks so incredibly bored and very much a kid. I love how with all of Sargent's portraits the people look like real people and not the cardboard cutouts that can often happen, like everything is fake. You can very easily imagine his sitters turning and talking to someone immediately after that frozen moment.
I see 4 girls who are less important to their parents than those large, pretentious vases.
That the vases are displayed with this portrait, speaks volumes to me.
I completely agree. Their (the vases) standing sentinel alongside this portrait of unhappy siblings is somehow disturbing. I love the back story, because it further illuminates the already sad vibe of this piece. I have no doubt that Sargent once again discerned and captured the underlying personality of his subject(s).
My thoughts exactly.
they had to have the second one be visible
Or the girls, at 4 different stages of childhood, are less important to their parents than their own indulgenced adult lives, represented by the large, useless vases. The right vase, in similar lighting to the middle girl, seems to be completing a frame.
Childhood emotional neglect is this destructive. It damages your ability to form attachments or even trust other people. It makes sense for those who suffer it to never marry. I’m sure every suitor that came along just seemed like a golddigger to these girls. Funny how they described the oldest sister as being disrespectful to her mother. Can’t imagine why…
Her mother almost certainly suffered from cognative or mental health issues as well.
This is called CPTSD and it's healable. But back in the day psychiatry was really weird and not-effective. If the only cause was childhood abuse and neglect - you can heal the illness without any medication. But I bet they did not even try. CPTSD lowers you immune defences if it's severe and lowers your energy severely. It's actually a death sentence in some cases. It's very sad how they did not really treat such illnesses back in the day with the right kinda exercises ext. Tragedy could have been avoided.
They would have been just a gold digger. Also marriage wouldn't have held anything of value for these girls contraception was still unavailable ...so why marry?
There is a lot more going on in this painting than childhood neglect. The narration gives clues that the abuse is much worse than you can imagine.
That's why the girls never married, were withdrawn, and angry. One ended up in an asylum, the other was sick. Probably predisposed to mental illness from their mother.
Some people never fully recover from CPTSD/PTSD not even with modern help. The symptoms can improve, but it's always there, in the background, lurking.
when i first saw this art piece, I thought it had a similar feeling of victorian death photography, I automatically thought the two older girls were deceased - seeing the "thousand yard stare" of one and the side profile (where it looks like her eyes are closed) compared to the other two daughters were what immediately gave me this feeling
This!!!
That's what I thought at first!
Being an old soul as a child is another way of saying your spirit has been crushed.
What an amazing perspective! I wouldn't have thought of that on my own, but after you said it, I totally see it. Makes absolute sense!
@@hopsiepikeI had my palm read at a party when I was 17. The reader said I was an "old soul". 😅😢
Before you mentioned the girls were sisters my first thoughts were the older two in the dark clothing were maids, barely older than the ones they were catering to and peering out of the shadows at the illumination on the privileged daughters of wealth
Same!!!
Same!!!
I agree, I think they are ‘babysitters’; otherwise why would they be in black or dressed the same, at the periphery of the room.
Influenced by Velásquez's Las Meninas
They seem to be portrayed as such?
God knows why, but seeing the real vases placed on the side of the painting filled my heart with sudden sadness. If I had to guess, is probably because those vases were in the room when Sargent painted the girls, and none of them lived a particularly happy life, for some of the sisters it actually ended tragically. And now they are all long gone, the girls, their parents, Sargent. But the goddamn vases are still there, looking pretty much the same.
Their former owner took better care of them then they did their children.
@@crow-jane * than
@@heliotropezzz333doesn't matter*
@@onethatdoesart5650 * matters to me
@@heliotropezzz333 Like you’ve never hit the wrong button in your autocomplete menu. Don’t be such a tedious pedant; it doesn’t make you look smart, it makes you look like you want people to *think* you’re smart without having to put in the effort to actually learn something interesting. Get a better hobby.
It almost seems like the vases are more "alive" than the two elder sisters. I'm sure, given their ages, that they have become aware that they are less important to their parents than the beautiful objects d'art surrounding them.
Great observation! I do think Sargent placed the older girls in the shadows for a reason. Possibly to show that they're disinterested or maybe for some darker reason. I love that this painting always keeps us guessing!
FYI : Objets d’art.
The original painting and vases are at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.
Excellent observation
I think that's part of what Sargent was saying in his composition.
It's interesting to me that Florence, given what occurs in her life in the future, is the one Sargent chose to portray in profile and darkness. And it doesn't surprise me that Jane would appear unsettled, even scared. 12 is a pretty scary age for anyone. The number of changes, both physically and in expectations, everything, are frightening.
What a brilliant painting. Thank you for this piece, for sure. Can't wait to re-visit it down the line.
@@pliktl Fascinating. Looking at with that idea, it's also so interesting. It really is one heck of a painting, and one I hadn't been familiar with. So many different looks.
What?
Flat affect is what they were describing with the oldest daughter. She has no interest and always seems bored. It is an extremely common and very noticeable of Schizophrenia.
@@WhitneyDahlinOr it could be just
that she is 14. (I used to teach MS/HS.)
@@WhitneyDahlin…. unless you’re autistic - many of us can’t read facial expressions and don’t naturally have any and the world around us rarely holds any interest for us
Fascinating commentary and analysis on so many levels... tragic story of the girls in many ways and those creepy vases towering over them as the "absent parents" -- just WOW that they're in the Boston museum with the painting even today! Thanks for the excellent content!
I think the vases gave the girls a bit of stability in their wandering lives and they were a good metaphor for the parent's emotional support
Well pointed out.. "They're in the museum with the vases even today"...
Reads like a haunting...**shivers**
I was thinking...."Are the vases absent parents in essence or are they just two more expensive possessions?"
The only word that this piece tells me is "absence". And yet you can take more from this painting.
A good piece of art always keeps you wondering even if the topic could be something as simple as an artist connecting with four girls whose parents happened to have a similar parenting style like his own parents did.
The artist didnt conect with them he hated kids he only did this as a kob and moag likely only spoke to them as much as needed
@@demonic_myst4503what’s a kob and moag? I’ve never heard those terms before
Honestly this kind of hits for me as someone with C-PTSD. I have this one particular picture of me as a kid, I'm probably three or four. And to most people, it probably looks unremarkable, even happy. Going by the situation, I should be happy in it. But I don't look happy. I don't look sad. I don't look like anything. In this really specific eerie way, my face is expressing no emotion whatsoever. And the part that really gets to me, is that my huge kid eyes are completely dull, and empty. There's no sparkle in them, no presence. I look almost like a deactivated animatronic. I've never seen another face exactly like it.
But Jane has it. The same haunting, vacant aura, that looks almost unsettlingly neutral at first, but the longer you look at it, you could almost swear it gets more distressed. The face of emotional blunting.
i had the same thought. she looks dissociated as hell and i feel so bad for her
I've seen so many photos of myself as a kid where I'm just disassociating. People just say I look tired or a "little bit sad" but they can never put it into words. I'm literally in standby and nobody realized it
Seeing pictures of children like that is so intrinsically sad
YUP. I've been that girl leaning on the vase many times. It's a haunting painting.
I can relate to seeing your childhood pictures and saw you weren't happy or showed emotions. While I don't have C-PTSD, I do have bipolar depression. I've seen pictures of myself as a teenager and it was shocking to see what I was going through, on the outside looking in. I saw my depression and just feeling absent. My parents thought I was a moody teenager but I was struggling with depression and having to deal with a mentally abusive stepfather. It was 30 years ago and I didn't really know about depression. I was very isolated as we lived in a rural area that was a vacation spot so there weren't any kids around. I had no friends and I only had my siblings to spend time with.
It was better when we moved to an area where I was around other kids and made friends, but I still struggled mentally. I did come out of my shell when I finally had friends. My friends could see that he despised me and he didn't treat me well. Fortunately now as an adult, I have psychiatric care and medications so I'm much healthier mentally. I wouldn't ever want to go back to those days.
There are photos of me proudly displayed in my parents' house that look exactly like Jane. There are photos of me now, albeit fewer, on the social media pages of friends that also look exactly like Jane.
Insightful commentary. Sargent hated children and they usually returned the sentiment. After painting the Pailleron children, also in Paris, he said he'd rather paint a cabbage than ever paint another child.
Dogs and children tell you everything about a person
Sargent was prone to sarcasm. He was very close to the children of the families he traveled with and was very fond of his nieces and nephews. His paintings of Rose-Marie clearly show that side of him. Anyhow, can you imagine dealing with those other rich spoiled brats?
@OP andI @plikt: It might help to know that 'cabbage' ('chou'* in French ) is a word of endearment for those we love, especially children. And don't almost all of us sometimes have ambiguous feelings about our dear little rascals ? BTW, french babies are born among the leaves of cabbages, not brought by the stork.
*(pronounced shoo not chow)
I’ve heard that he didn’t like painting portraits at all.
@@cathjj840Thank you for this information, it’s rather meaningful lol
Jane's face, as she stands next to her sister just shy of the encompassing darkness, has an eerie resemblance to those of children in post mortem photographs, popular with Victorians at this time. Very creepy.
Yes! That's exactly what I was thinking. I half expected her to say she died during the painting process or something
What I see: Every photo and painting of Sargent, his expression is he has "seen things" and he's deeply affected by them. In the children's portrait, I see the girl on the left as finding the experience slightly distasteful and intrusive. She may even know that he is, in fact, correctly judging their situation. The toddler girl is just old enough to barely tolerate this activity, and it's waning. The eldest sister is plainly intolerant of the whole situation, and has probably been threatened with punishment by the parents if she doesn't comply. She's also probably there to accompany the other sister, who I would guess is slightly disabled mentally or emotionally. She seems mentally is unable to show even casual interest in what is happening, but is capable of following instruction. It's almost like the artist was visiting the family and came upon this room full of children and wasn't expecting it. Unlike the painting it is compared to, there are no adults, no nannies, no parents, no one. Today it would be like someone photographing for evidence of neglect. The whole painting seems cloaked in an air of dismay by the artist.
Diagnosing a complete stranger by a single painting is a new one
@@DeathnoteBB The creator of the video asked what we see. Rather than being so snarky, why don't you watch the entire thing again and if you still feel the need to say anything, tell her what you see. It's really that simple, and not at all new.
I agree with some of what you say but I think you go a bit too far in your assumptions.
I think this is an insightful interpretation of the painting, based on information the narrator provided.
My first knee-jerk impression before hearing the history behind the painting and subjects was that the little girl in the foreground was the "golden child" of the family. She's the only one who looks comfortable gazing directly at the viewer, and she's bathed in golden light unlike her sisters. I was wrong, of course, that's why it's essential to get more info.
@@catserver8577 The video saying to explain your interpretation doesn’t mean armchair diagnosis is something I agree with. I’m just a disabled person sick of seeing people armchair diagnose complete strangers with things ranging from autism to narcissistic personality disorder. An interpretation is allowed to be critiqued.
The most jarring thing to me is the girl on the left almost has no shadow? Like she's a ghost or something. Her being the closest to the window her shadow should be caste across the floor to her right just as dark as her sister's sitting on the floor but it's not?
Especially since It looks like even the two older girls are casting shadows, and they're in a semi-dark background.
Mary Louisa is absolutely about to cry, but knows she shouldnt while posing. Poor kiddo.
its insane how intuitive Sargent got with this painting, it represents so much about the uncertainty and the nebulous cycle of childhood innocence to adulthood, its like staring to a void filled with aet froze people. Truly his most captivating masterpiece
I detect some fear on Jane's face. This is my first time seeing this painting and the first thing I thought was that these girls were playing in this room and then someone they don't like walked in and the three older ones, understanding what's going on, scatter whilst the oblivious youngest just sits there mildly interested.
Jane looks like she's watching a RUclips apology.
Edit: how did this become the one of the most liked comments on the video.
Bruh ✋ 😭 💀
LMAO
Perfect👌🏻
Toxic gossip train~🎸
@@gettingintoit4723 choo choo motherfuckers
I love this pain. I love that the children look like real people. Posing and having fake smiles aren’t required. It’s completely honest.
This is one of my favorite channels out there
So funny but at the same time educational
Thank you!
I’ve been to the MFA in Boston and stood in front of this painting and the towering porcelain vases. The children do seem melancholy and it’s a strange moody work of art- but I never knew the background of the sisters or what happened to them. Sargent truly was a master artist who seemed to capture the inner life of each person he painted. Great commentary
I, too, visit the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, since I live in a beautiful town a few miles away. It is stunning, and an absolutely tour of force. I did graduate work in Art History and was a portrait Painter. The portraits at the MFA are the best and most numerous in the U.S. that I have found during my working years while painting.
I think the artist saw exactly what was going on psychologically with these girls, almost like he could see, psychically, into their future.
I hope you never stop doing these videos. They're so entertaining and educating. Also, your editing is EVERYTHING.
Sargent's paintings are remarkable for their technique. At normal viewing distance they look photo-realistic, but closer up, they are revealed to be splashes and daubs of paint. The brushstrokes are clearly visible, and yet he clearly portrays different materials; satin, starched cotton, velvet.
The left-hand little girl in the pinafore has been used as a cover for Henry James' 'What Maisie Knew'. I always thought it was an apt comparison, given the girl's expression.
You are absolutely right…I didn’t catch that.
Raised by authoritarian parents who showed no love or affection or attention and scapegoated me , I recognize the emotional states of these children. I need a copy of this painting. I can connect with these children, and want to tell them they are loved everyday. Interesting to see yourself so clearly in a painting from over 100 years ago. Sorry for over sharing, I was so saddened for these children in this painting.
It’s extremely relatable to you in that sense…I see the fours stages of transitioning childhood. This is a little eerie and disturbing though. I hope you got your copy. 😊
Same here. I had no siblings though. I feel as alone as they do
I am pretty sure we have quite a number of Holiday pictures like this.
Not oversharing! This is the power of the painting.
The children are so emotionally separate from each other. The three older girls looks like they were just seriously punished to force them to pose. I also wonder about the father. All four refusing to marry? Odd for the time.
We don't know wheter they refused to marry or just didn't find the right men. Also, unmarried women was not that much of an odd thing at the time, but they were usually looked at with pity.
@@meridaskywalker7816Unmarried women were pitied because it usually meant a life of dependence on relatives and poverty. That wasn't the case with the rich. Jane Austen explained it in Emma.
@@edennis8578 True
@@meridaskywalker7816Rachel pfppp
@@strwberry_xoxo Strawberry shortcake?🧐
Speaking of Sargent, you might want to take a look at his "Gassed." Sargent was from an earlier generation of painters than the great WW1 artists (Otto Dix and Paul Nash for example), but he still manages to capture the horror and alienation of the conflict.
Great recommendation. Such a heartbreaking painting!
@@Art_Deco It hurts to look at those children. I had a friend with a mother like they had…not pretty. It’s left me suspicious of parents who claim to be “best friends” with their children.
And I think Gassed is on of his greatest paintings.
Wow, thanks for sharing. He certainly knew sadness! Looking it up I see he was influenced by Pieter Bruegel’s “The Parable of the Blind.” Massive & heartbreaking - we owe a great debt to the generations before us. I love when artists allude to each other. This is a great channel!
The painting Gassed affected me greatly. My grandfather was gassed in WWI.
Though these four girls are now long gone from the earth, the sadness conveyed by these little faces will be around forever. This made me weep. 😢
*RIP, little ones; you are **_NOT_** forgotten.*
You’ve presented a compelling case against the current state of A.I generated “art,” none of which exhibit the level of sophistication or humanity you have explored with this painting. Thank you.
Yet they perfectly capture the absense of humanity, it is often presents very non-intentional perfectly lovecraftian eeriness. From uneasiness to all out horror, AI art certainly has a normal, dignified niche, but, alas, we're using it as every and any art asset known to man (:
Ikr. Like, IKR!
The picture depicts loneliness and emptiness more than anything else in my view. These girls are isolated and friendless in this nearly empty room. They are like ghosts. They stand apart from each other and aren’t interacting in any way. Reminds me of a police photo of a child, taken when it was found in a cave. A frightened apparition lit up with a flashlight.
It’s as if the painter is sounding the alarm for the neglect and abuse these girls are suffering.
I guess they stand where they’re told to stand when they’re getting their picture painted
@@autumn5852 defiantly, but the painter probably a purpose with that arrangement. He seems to be trying to express their isolation and sadness. These girls didn’t have a happy life.
@@prakkari I’ve read a bit more into it and this painter is said to have had an extraordinary way of seeing things that others can’t see and that he would often follow his subjects around and make several pictures before he got a feel for things and then he would dress and arrange them to express what he saw in them. The painter was close friends with the father and mother and greatly admired the father’s painting skills as he was also an artist. The family mixed in the upper class art circles and the mother was always joyful yet childlike and had many other positive qualities, which definitely sounded like autism. Also, these girls had an older brother who was non verbal autistic (I think all the children were and also the mother) but he was put into care at an early age as his needs were very complex but it seems they did try to support him because he was more than two when he went into care. It’s said Jane had anorexia (which is now linked to autism) and that the family travelled Europe to find a cure for her. The girls were said to be close and the youngest two lived together all their lives. The oldest one was the only one to form a long term relationship and it was with their cousin who was also called Jane; it was said Jane fell in love with her cousin and they lived in what was then termed as a Boston marriage - two females living together almost like man and wife. They had friends and close family who would visit. The four girls gifted the painting and the vases to the museum in remembrance of their father, who was said to adore his wife. When his wife passed away, he married a young woman, a friend of his second youngest daughter who was something like 30 years his junior and they had two kids together. Oh, when the vase were gifted they were full of all sorts of rubbish so maybe they used them as a kind of rubbish bin. When the painting was first exhibited, for the first 100 years or so, it was thought to be a delightful picture of children at play, nobody ever saw what people later saw in the painting, with the introduction of psychiatry etc. They had much to say about the style of the painting in terms of the void and shadows etc but it was said to be a style he had learned from one of his masters who he greatly admired. It was also said to be a painting about the coming of age and the different stages of life that we all go through, for example, the eldest daughter was going through that unpredictable stage of adolescence, into the unknown, which can be a very scary place and of course we now know that she was a lesbian which was probably why her mother was disappointed in her at her coming out/coming of age parties because she wouldn’t have been interested in boys or dressing up like most of the other young ladies of that time if she was a lesbian. The youngest was said to be positioned in front of the painting because being so young, she was still in need of most of the attention, so it was said that the painter was trying to convey the different stages of life that we all go through. The youngest became a great painter like her father but didn’t pursue it as a professional career as she wanted to simply enjoy the experience of it without the pressure of exhibitions etc and I can understand that as I have a friend who is a great artist and he won’t sell his painting professionally as his painting is more for him, so he’s a free hand tattooist for his work. The second youngest daughter (I forget the names) became a great pianist but again not professionally but they didn’t need money so I can see why they didn’t pursue professional careers. That daughter was nicknamed Isa, I think it was, which was the same nickname as the mother. They were mostly raised in Paris and lived there until the world war when they all moved back to Boston.
Nothing in this painting suggests to be that the models were friendless.
@@zapazap According to what is said the girls didn’t have playmates or friends. They traveled a lot around with their parents never establishing any roots. Later in life they all are said to have been recluse and private. I guess it’s not such a wild assumption for me to have felt this about the painting.
When I look at this painting, what strikes me most is the bareness of the room and the vast empty spaces. This is not a playroom for children. It's place they've been dumped for the sake of convenience. In fact, it doesn't even have as much decoration as you'd expect from the home of a rich couple; it's a storeroom with nothing to store. Except the girls. Someone threw the littlest one a doll, but she doesn't seem interested in it; she was just told to pose with it. And Sargent caught it all in those vast, sad spaces. I feel so bad for the four girls.
What I love about your analysis... At first glance, I only see a usual painting of four girls. After watching your video, I see one girl laid on the wall and around her three ghosts girls with awkward standing staring at me. If one by one looks totally fine, the whole portrait now is pretty scary.
I love this painting and I totally agree instead of painting 4 sisters and a family he painted 4 individuals with their own personalities. Also I love the composition because it isn't easy painting an even number of subjects successfully. But the composition is beautifully done and the little story going on behind the scenes draws you in.
I wonder about Florence. Her uncle said that she didn't get along with her mother and wasn't interested in any of the things young girls of her age ought to be interested in. When she became independent, she didn't marry and lived with her cousin. Later she had a profound interest and involvement in golf. Then she had 'mental illness' troubles and ended up in an institution, where she died. Was she gay?
I was wondering about that as well. Very well could have been ace as well
That was my thought as well.....
@alexissey4023 what is "ace" please?
@@geralyn-mm Asexual
I literally just finished watching a queer analysis of "The Great Gatsby" and when Florence was mentioned to have liked golf, I immediately thought about Jordan Baker.
this painting feels like something edward hopper would be inspired by the empty togetherness is very reminiscent of his work
I've seen Jane's expression before. In pictures of me from my childhood. I wasn't wealthy, but I lived in a bad household. I've seen that expression after panic attacks. I can only imagine what that little girl went through, even if it was just emotional neglect, to make her hold such an expression.
True. I saw someone else comment that she kind of looks like she's having trouble breathing. I wonder if she could be in the middle of a panic attack in the portrait.
Julia: Is sulking a little because playtime was probably interrupted for this and she wants to go back to her dolly.
Mary Louisa: Is clearly used to posing for photos (probably considered the 'pretty one', at least until Julia came about) and is enduring stoically until the ordeal is over.
Jane: Has SEEN THINGS. Is probably seeing them right there and then. Pleading for help with her eyes.
Florence: Is clearly only there because her parents made her.
All four: NOT enjoying the experience.
Oooor maybe the artist just asked them to pose like that, and everyone is reading too much into things, as usual.
Seriously, though, WHAT a painting. It's like a psycho-thriller version of 'Las Niñas'.
Sargent’s technique is impeccable and no doubt captures the spirit and spark of his subjects. When I saw the photographs of his subjects and the finished paintings in museums, I can’t help but think his career was bolstered by his ability to create a much more attractive portrait of the subject. He was painting through some beauty filters.
Can we just, for a moment, look in awe, at how Sargent painted the huge vases and how the light bounced off them? Masterful!!
Hello Kimberly, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??
I've been watching you from the beggining, man you're an underated chanel!
It's so neat that it's displayed with the actual vases. I've never seen anything like that before
Sargent is my FAVORITE portrait artist. I remember going to a Washington museum and saw one by chance and literally cried while studying the painting close up through the happy tears.
I have the same reaction whenever I'm fortunate enough to see a Sargent. I am utterly mesmerised by his sense of his subject, be it their ego, insecurity, sadness, vanity.. it is so apparent! It always seems like a better capture of this than even a photograph could convey!!!
Sargent, in my estimation towers above his contemporaries. Whenever I look at his paintings, I am struck that they also seem to be psychological studies. I never get tired of his art. He is my favorite artist of all time.
@@jezebelle57 Mine as well, and for the same reasons. I'm assuming you've read Strapless..?
@@karenblack2869 Oh yes! Hard to believe that a fallen strap could destroy both a young woman’s life and a painter’s reputation. Especially with all the nudes painted by other artists. But, I guess it was a class thing. Who cared about the reputation of showgirls and shopgirls?
@@jezebelle57 Right?! And yet, true to Singer's abilities he captured her personality, sexuality and daring perfectly. The old guard mentality that presided over the salon was fickle and protective of Their Own - but had no issues with provocative paintings of the Lower Classes. I wish I had had the money to buy a Sargent before his worth and reputation exploded. All I can do is revel at and lovingly take them in on museum walls (and I've been fortunate to see a few in my travels!). I think one of the reasons why he wasn't appreciated enough was that he had so many more famous contemporaries. But he was THE maestro of portraiture. I've seen several Reynolds, Gainsboroughs etc. and they, in their own styles, pandered to ego rather than exposing it.
I have always been fascinated and saddened by portraits like this one. We have no idea what Jane was suffering from. Women who were "different" often were institutionalized or had carers for the rest of their lives but who knows what her diagnosis might have really been. The vases make me feel sad. Constant companions and reminders of their neglect. Sad.
I always look forward to your interpretation of the selected painting. I think you really nailed this one. It was thoroughly engaging. Knowing a bit of the back story of the subjects, their parents and the artist, adds so much depth to it. I'd really like to know what Sargent thought of it.
During highschool art class we were each assigned to an artist and had to recreate one of their paintings, I had to do this one of the daughters of Edward Darley Boyd.
The reason was the teacher said I had problems going darker and using more shadows with my paintings as they're too light, I really hated doing this and it turned out weird looking in the end😅
Based on your analysis and my own interpretations, what I see is that this painting is a view into the psychological and emotional life that children can create when their left to become their own parents to each other and family to each other. They don’t have the skills or ability or maturity to fulfill each other. They’re just left to their own devices, while they are left with their needs are met.
This is one of my favorite RUclips channels ever! Keep up the amazing content! It’s always a joy to learn about these art pieces! 💖🙌
First time ever seeing this painting, tysm!
For me, I saw it as the way children have to live up to different expectations. The girl on the carpet is the youngest child, who is more naive and only cares about playing and happiness. Her white dress has her stand out more than the other girls and is always the center of attention. The girl in the red is the golden child, standing up straight and facing the viewer directly, almost as if she was performing for us. She can never be as eye-catching as the youngest girl, but does her best to be the "good" child. The older girl in the middle is the forgotten middle child, always wanting to be seen but ultimately being overshadowed by her younger sisters. She has a similar stance to the girl in red, but her hands being shown show an honesty and longing to be seen. Finally, the girl by the vase, is what I am guessing is the oldest child as she is the tallest one. She's similar to the girl beside her and is likely what happens when they outgrow their parents. They become married off like a sold-off vase and will likely not see their parents as much. She becomes a distant figure mentioned at the table, but never really remembered for who she is, which is why her face isn't really shown.
Tl;dr for me each girl represents the different stages of life parents see their child in.
I discovered your channel by chance. After the first video I couldn’t stop watching them. Your way of explaining the stories behind these paintings is both funny and informative, something not so easy to do at the same time. I can’t wait for the next video, love from 🇮🇹
Forcing any child to stand for hours will get results like these. Boredom, far off gazes, misery! Even today. Thank God for cameras
Hello Anita, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??
Your mini-documentaries are so interesting! I am an enormous fan of Sargent, and it adds so much to hear background on and insight into his paintings. Thank you!
I did see this painting and it’s absolutely incredible. Probably the most hauntingly, mesmerizing painting I’ve ever seen. I had a hard time moving away from it. Also, the painting is over seven feet long, which adds to the overwhelming affect.
1. "Golf enthusiast" "rude and not interested in what a girl her age should be" Harold, she's a lesbian
2. As the oldest sibling of 4 afabs raised by abusive and neglectful parents this painting hits hard and is heartrending. To know that the girls struggled to connect with people later in life after having the childhood we see implied in the painting is not surprising, just tragic. Not surprising that the haunted girl whose eyes never leave the viewer died young after having mental illness from age 18. I'm tempted to project my own experiences and assume they are shared because the vibe of the painting is so familiar
I thought No. 1 immediately. Imagine the loneliness of that when you are being socially programmed to be a certain person, and you are simply not that person, and can't relate to the nonsense your mother is spouting at you continually
@@ShakepearesDaughterIt could be, but it also gives off big LGBT+ vibes - either gay or trans.
I prefer not to speculate about people's sexuality (Kit Conner anyone?). There's either written down evidence or we're just projecting. But I understand what you mean about loneliness, the fact that none of them are engaged with each other even in a family setting is just plain unatural.
@@MegaPokemon1997 I hear you and I get what you're saying but I do understand why people might get that vibe. I guess in some ways it's maybe recognising themself there.
@@MegaPokemon1997I find whenever people say “don’t assume someone is gay” they’re actually saying “because straight is the default.” But the fact is that some people are gay and this person might be one of them. And it’s as wrong to make educated guesses about what kind of partner they might be interested in based on who you see them flirting with, as it is to see someone lining up at a Starbucks and guessing that they might be thinking of buying something at Starbucks.
Yes, outing someone or pressuring someone to be out is bad. Spreading rumors is bad. Looking at this woman (of whom is no longer alive nor are any of her direct descendants) who is a fan of one of the gayest sports for women and reportedly had no interest in men or typical girl things, who was then later institutionalized for rEaSoNs in a time when people with homosexual tendencies were 100% institutionalized as being mentally ill, and thinking “hm … may have been a lesbian” is NOT the same thing as what happened to Kit Connor.
your channel is so interesting i cant stop binge watching all of them
I can't tell Monet from Manet but I know I love this channel!!! Keep up the great work!!!
lol same!
I’ve never thought of anything but beauty in this painting. The idea that the vases are symbolic of the absent parents is compelling but for me upsetting. I never liked floor vases before I realized how beautiful these are and I read that matched vases in some ways represent a married couple. Ever since then I’ve wanted vases like this and looked for some I could afford.
Hello Carla, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??
You are so good at these videos! Thanks for the fun education!!
I find this picture terribly sad.
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I love your videos, they've made me appreciate art a lot more. I hope I can get more into understanding art in the future but not sure where to start.
This is a perfect start :) Taking a guided tour at an art museum helps too, because they know all the stories behind the pieces (usually) and ask them questions ❤
You do such a great job! Thank you for the work you put into these videos.
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First thing that disturbed me about the paintihg was the composition. It is off centred, disorganised. If the girls were not so masterfully rendered, i'd think the artist isn't very good, or has limited notions of composition, harmony etc.
But it strikes me that every one of these elements were misplaced on purpose. The work isn't meant to be harmonious and appealing.
It's as if the girls were gathered in the room against their will, by parents who value those 2 vases more than their own children.
The old saying: "children must be seen, not heard". In this case, parents were like: " ok, we wanna see you for a few hours, then off you go, don't bother us"
Sargent maybe created this portrait to reflect to their parents a message of their own emotional neglect of these girls. The oldest looked for boundaries at that age I think, since warm emotional bonds were lacking. Thank you for your scholarly analysis. I hadn't appreciated Sargeant so much before, though I grew up in New England, where his works are on display in the area.
I so enjoyed your critique of this painting. The sound of your voice is really soothing, not jarring or anything which makes me want to know about the subject. Thanks.
It sounds computer generated.
I can listen to you detail the movement, light, and interactions between the subjects of each piece of art all day long. You are a gift.
Hello Pretty, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??
I am always amazed at these art breakdowns. I am someone who loves art and makes art. But I never feel like I 'get' art. These videos have taught me more than the art history I had in my education.
It's such a sad painting and the more you look at it the more you feel it.
I have viewed this haunting and haunted portrait many, many times where it hangs in the MFA, Boston, Massachusetts. That it is flanked by those Japanese vases is at once delightful (momentarily) and profoundly disturbing-as if two albeit exquisite pieces of pottery were of more value than the tragically beautiful four little girls-most certainly one of Singer Sargent’s many masterpieces.
I’ve visited this painting often since I frequent the Museum of Fine Arts here in Boston. It was so beautiful and daunting to me; I did a report on this piece ‘my senior year of high-school and went on to delve much deeper into his work. It’s also in my opinion that the artist, like most, saw himself in each character of daughters. Captivating time standing still, yet almost telling the story of their individual future as well. And I to feel the cutting off of the vase to the right is infuriating! Loved this one! Thanks Art Deco! 🤘🏼
I love this channel. Apart from being beautifully presented, each video offers a fascinating insight into the story behind each painting.. This channel is a work of art itself! 🎨👏
"I'm not 'dazed and bewildered'! That's just how I look!" 😂
So sad,mommy,and daddy,too busy to spend time with their children.I would never have guessed the back story of this painting,and frankly,now knowing it is kind of depressing.But it's still a marvelous work of art.Thanks for the video.
Two aspects about this painting strike me as curious. While the girls are dressed in pinafores, they really aren't playing or doing anything that might stain their clothing. Second, the painting feels unbalanced to me as if when hanging it, it naturally would rotate counterclockwise. The left side feels really 'heavy'. I have no interpretation for these observations though.
Very interesting commentary ! I love Sargent’s portraits, they are undeniably masterful & the brushwork has such life. Very interesting to learn about some of his friends. I’m in the process of finding out more about him, so thanks for this ….😊
Hello Pretty, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??
This was really interesting. As a viewer who hadn't seen this painting before, I was wondering what could be so tragic. The space also suggests that they are on their own from their parents and each other. The oldest seems to be struggling with something, and with her sister of close age possibly being mentally disabled, she probably felt very lonely. The two who are the least aware of the tragic reality are the ones doing what they're asked. The others have too much on their minds. Thank you.
maybe they looked so detached and bored because they were asked to sit there completely still for some good few hours…
Oi! How many time do I have to tell you! Off the bloody vase!
I love seeing realistic people in the past, whether through visual, audial or anecdotal means
Great as always
Wonderful video! I just found your channel 2 days ago and have been binge watching whenever I get the chance! 😊 I love art and learning art history in such fun way is fantastic!!! Thank you so much for all your hard work making these videos. I'm definitely looking forward to more! I know this is bold of me to ask, but would you consider making a video on any great watercolorists? I would love it!!😃😃😃
Thanks for the effort you put in to these videos!
Thank you so much! And a double thank you for being a channel member. It really means a lot. I'm so glad you enjoy the videos!
First thing I thought when the painting was put on screen was “wow you can tell who the parent liked/the painter noticed who was liked the most in order” the shadows covering each girl more and more while the youngest is painted in an almost angelic light.
Edit: the older girls having physical and mental health issues likely started as kids, but was called “bad behavior” and/or they were “faking” being physically ill. Based on the time period. This most likely led to being treated worse than the other children. Likely being the reason the parents favored the girls who acted how they wanted them to and is part of the reason the older girls were faded into the background. Also being “rude and ungrateful” probably being the outcome of parents playing clear favorites.
Note: I’m not an expert in paintings, but I am a preschool teacher who is hired mostly to help with disabled children. I have been trained to do so. I also have done article 9 training (called something different in every state, but I highly recommend that even if you’re not working with People with disabilities and if your a teacher at any level I especially recommend it.) I’ve worked in home assist to help parents learn how to handle their kids who have developmental disabilities (a disability diagnosed before the age of 18), help kids learn how to be independent to the best of their ability. (Not necessarily being able to live on their own, but doing their own laundry, doing basic chores, getting their own snacks, picking out and putting clothes on by themselves.) I would still never call myself even close to an expert. I don’t think anyone can really be an “expert” in children. 😊
The composition and brushwork of this painting are absolutely stunning. I hadn't seen it before... I instantly recognized the referral to Velasquez's masterwork, and find it even more purposefully unsettling. Thank you for bringing this work to my attention. Sargent rises in my estimation. Whistler was moving in this direction, I think.
You make me fall in love with art more and more!
What a powerful video about parental love, maturity and ourselves. "Mirrors are a worthless invention. The only way to truly see yourself is in the reflection of ..."
I wonder if lack of enduring non familial relationships as children contributed to both Sargent’s and the daughters’ problems as adults.
I used to stare at this painting for ages when I went to the museum as a kid
At first glance, I really didn't like this painting. Something is off about the whole scene. Thanks to you I now know the intent and purpose of that
“Four corners and a void”! Lol! I wish I could come up with such witticisms!
Every time I see this picture I feel like there needs to be a psychiatrist on hand for each of the children. Strange family.
Definitely recommend seeing this at the museum of fine arts. I was struck by this painting when I saw it and it immediately reminded me of Las Meninas. Fantastic video as always!
The half vase is telling. It says there is a parent who isn't there for them. Their mother sounds like she was bi polar, so I think Sargent recognized this instinctively.
Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
I’ve seen this painting and the vases at the MFA and have spent a lot of time on it. Thank you the background information it’s helpful to see it in a different light.
Loved this analysis. Again.
Thank you so much for all yor work!
I've learned a lot through your videos!
Awesome, thank you!
Masterful depictions of subject's characters are dominant in all of Sargent's paintings, as they are telling us the stories behind them.
My first thought before knowing the backstory was that it was two maids/nannies reluctantly looking over the wealthy children.
After hearing the story, and the description of the parents, I wonder: could the mother have had Nerodivergency, or perhaps a learning disability that kept her more childlike? Perhaps her children were also born with some of this, and when coupled with parental neglect resulted in their stunted mental and emotional growth.
Wow that’s incredibly sad emotional neglect is often so overlooked. I made sure to hug my girls extra long after watching this!