Claude Monet Painting by the Edge of a Wood John Singer Sargent OIl on Canvas Tate Briton, London |
Alla Prima, Single - Session Method of Painting. Paintings catching the immediacy of a scene.
The Art: Alla prima is a “direct painting”; we can say that it is a “wet
on wet” oil painting. The word ‘Alla Prima’ literally means ‘at first’, if we
look at the Italian dictionary for reference. While painting Alla prima, an
artist completes the entire painting in one or two sessions and does not wait for the drying of the paint layers. It is almost like the wet-in-wet technique as in
watercolour. Master artist Vincent Van Gogh used this technique extensively. He
mostly completed a painting in one session. Unlike the impasto technique, in
Alla Prima, the thick colours are not applied. However, the colours get mixed
on canvass, as the painting is to be done in one or two sessions.
In the above painting, Sargent has used the alla prima method and
accomplished the painting within one session. Such a method produces the most
remarkable work because of its nonstop and authoritative nature. In this
painting, another great artist Claude Monet is shown painting by the edge of a
wood. Sargent had visited Monet in the year 1887, at Giverny, France. He was
very much impressed by the impressionist style of paintings Monet practised.
In this painting, Sargent has depicted Monet's peculiar style of painting.
It is also noticeable. If we look at the large paintings done by Monet, we can
feel that he painted figures in those painting as if they are part of the
landscape itself. That was the beauty of the art.
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Morning Walk Oil on Canvas John Singer Sargent The model is the painter's sister, Violet. |
Alla Prima: Under this technique, an artist would use the concept of immediacy.
No waiting and no alteration in the painting. That is the principle. It would
be just a raw presentation of the artistic wave that would be present in the
mind of an artist. These raw and rough sketches, born on the spot in the heat
of inspiration, express the ideas floating in the mind of their author.
Alla prima technique would not allow any modifying effort on the side of an
artist. It would not provide any room for hindering the liveliness of those
artists who do not know where to stop painting or working on a canvas. Unlike
the normal procedure, while using oil paint, to apply one layer of paint and
then wait for its drying, the Alla Prima artist would finish a painting in one
session; he or she would not allow the colours to dry on the canvas.
Sargent and Monet were close friends. His painting Morning painted in 1886
resembled Monet's painting titled Woman with a Parasol. Here in this painting,
Sargent had applied impressionist style with his typical Alla Prima technique.
Look at the strength of the brush strokes applied on the clothes of the lady
painted. The background landscape is a masterly composition of cool and bright
colours. This painting looks more appealing because, in addition to being an
impressionist artist, Sargent was a master portrait painter, too. He had
used both of his prowess in this painting.
John Singer Sargent Lady Agnew of Lochnaw (1864 - 1932) Oil on Canvas Scottish National Gallery |
Though introduced by Flemish painter Frans Hals (c.1582-1666), alla
prima took its flight in the era of impressionism. This technique suited
impressionist artists very much, as their prime focus was on catching the soul
of a scene they would paint. During the nineteenth century, many artists prefer
to paint using the alla
prima technique. When these impressionist artists paint out of the
doors, the same set of principles of painting would be practised. But while
working in alla prima or wet in wet oil painting, it would be hard to sort out
the chaos of colours. It would not be an easy task to keep their tonal values
ideally maintained. But the impressionist artists were known to maintaining a
fine balance in their painting.
The Artists: Impressionist artist like John Singer Sargent and Claude Monet wanted to
retain the feelings that would come as they painted. Here in this painting,
John Singer Sargent had caught the immediacy of his friend Monet painting a
lady. The artist’s emphasis was on retaining the freshness and spontaneity of
the scene and feel the characters in the frame were experiencing at the very
moment. This was the subject Sargent had in mind while doing this painting;
here he had caught the immediate visual impression and reflected the light
through his small brush strokes.
In this portrait of Lady Agnew of Lochnaw, we
can see how the artist has tried depicting every gesture of the woman
portrayed. Look at the position of the left hand, resting on the sidebar of the
chair. Such a precision on the part of the artist would show how comfortable
the model was feeling herself while sitting before the artist.

Ponte della Canonica John Singer Sargen
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston.
Sargent mostly drew and painted from live
sources, from live objects. He rarely used photographs. While painting, Sargent
would fix his wooden easel in a way that he could see the model and the
painting from a distance. He would have preferred seeing the model and the
canvas in the same intensity of light. Look at this painting of a street in
Venice. John Singer Sergent was very much impressed by the beauty of the
city of Venice. During his visit to Venice (1903-1907), It is believed
that he had painted this while sitting in a gondola. It must be an interesting
event for an artist like Sargent. To paint live, while travelling in a boat in
the Venice canal. This painting is presently displayed at Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston.
It is believed that the collector Isabella Stewart Gardner was also
fascinated by the beauty of the city of Venice. So she purchased this painting
done by Sargent. Sargent had done a couple of portrait paintings of Isabella
Stewart Gardner, too. Sargent was used to walking frequently up to
the place the model sat and again would concentrate on his canvas. He would
inspect the model and the painting in its totality. That was his masterly
habit. This made his portraits very lively and impressive. Venice has attracted
many artists. Sargent was one of them. he had painted several paintings of the
streets of Venice, some of them are oil on canvas, and some of them are in
watercolour on paper.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston.
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