John Singer Sargent: Portrait of Helen Sears

Generous loan from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

John Singer Sargent ranks among America’s greatest artists and Portrait of Helen Sears is one of his most beloved works. Executed in his distinctive virtuoso style, the painting presents a charming and elegantly dressed six-year-old girl standing in a dark interior dramatically enlivened by lush blue and white hydrangea blossoms. Featuring a pronounced element of psychological complexity, she gazes wistfully into the distance, fully immersed in thought while distractedly fondling flowers. The painting’s unusual composition, with its moderately elevated vantage point, demonstrates the artist’s brilliance; indeed, the subject is presented from a “parent’s-eye” view. The Cleveland Museum of Art is delighted to showcase this masterpiece amid its own collection of related works, including another skillful and compelling portrait by Sargent, Portait of Lisa Colt Curtis.

Portrait of Helen Sears, 1895
John Singer Sargent (American, 1856–1925)
Oil on canvas; 167.3 x 91.4 cm (65 7/8 x 36 inches)
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Gift of Mrs. J. D. Cameron Bradley, 55.1116