Description
Book Synopsis: The story of the extraordinary collaboration behind one of John Singer Sargent’s renowned late masterpieces. In 1916, John Singer Sargent (1856–1925) met Thomas Eugene McKeller (1890–1962), a young African American elevator attendant, at Boston’s Hotel Vendome. McKeller became the principal model for Sargent’s murals in the new wing of the city’s Museum of Fine Arts, among the painter’s most ambitious works. Sargent’s nude studies and sketches from this project attest to a close collaboration between the two men that unfolded over nearly ten years. Featuring drawings given by Sargent to Isabella Stewart Gardner and published in full for the first time, a portrait of McKeller, and archival materials reconstructing his life and relationship with Sargent, this book opens new avenues into artist-model relationships and transforms our understanding of Sargent’s iconic American paintings. Essays offer the first biography of McKeller and a window onto African American life in early-20th-century Boston. They also address the artist’s sexuality, his models, and questions of race and identity.
Distributed for the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Exhibition Schedule:
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston (February 13–October 12, 2020)
Details
Discover the extraordinary collaboration behind one of John Singer Sargent's renowned late masterpieces with Boston's Apollo: Thomas McKeller and John Singer Sargent Book. This captivating book invites you into the intriguing story of the meeting between Sargent and Thomas Eugene McKeller, a young African American elevator attendant at Boston's Hotel Vendome in 1916.
Sargent's powerful murals in the new wing of the city's Museum of Fine Arts were transformed by McKeller, who became the principal model for these magnificent works. Over nearly ten years, Sargent and McKeller formed a close partnership, as evident in the captivating nude studies and sketches showcased in this book.
Immerse yourself in this groundbreaking publication, which features never-before-published drawings given by Sargent to Isabella Stewart Gardner. By shedding light on McKeller's life and his relationship with Sargent, this book offers a fresh perspective on artist-model dynamics and revolutionizes our understanding of Sargent's iconic American paintings.
Essays within this volume provide the first comprehensive biography of McKeller, giving readers a glimpse into the early-20th-century African American experience in Boston. Additionally, these essays delve into topics such as Sargent's sexuality, his other models, and the intricate interplay of race and identity. Delve deep into the complexity of Sargent's artistry and the mesmerizing life of Thomas McKeller with Boston's Apollo: Thomas McKeller and John Singer Sargent Book.
Don't miss this extraordinary opportunity to take a captivating journey into the enigmatic partnership between Sargent and McKeller. Order your copy of Boston's Apollo: Thomas McKeller and John Singer Sargent Book now and uncover a hidden world of art, history, and human connection. Order now.
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