I saw her.
A friend and I went on a whirlwind trip to NYC to see the Heavenly Bodies exhibit at the Met (more on that later) but the real highlight of my week was seeing Madame X in person. I visited the big John Singer Sargent show in Chicago last month, but have always wanted to see this piece in particular, especially since the muse and I share a high forehead, straight nose and ultra fair complexion. (If only we also shared her wasp waist.)
She was everything I hoped for, from the first glimpse into the gallery to the indulgent selfie.
The Met had an entire room of Sargents, each one glorious. There’s a reason he’s my favorite portrait painter, and I was happy to just sit there for a minute with him.
I wish I had more time to paint, and more free rein and more space to do so. I want to try oils and acrylics again. I want to paint large things, from scaffolding, while drinking whiskey. One of the joys and pains of being an artist is wanting so much. It’s delicious.
