Dir: David Bickerstaff | Doc
American painter John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) is best known for his ‘swagger portraits’ of wealthy Americans of the Edwardian era. The canvasses command our attention and mesmerise in the same way as Rembrandt’s although Sargent adopts a more broad brush style than the Dutch 17th century master who was known as the greatest portrait artist of his era, arguably of all time.
In his latest art biopic director and cinematographer David Bickerstaff frames his documentary through interviews with curators, contemporary fashionistas and style influencers, their input and his fluid camera showing how Sargent influenced modern art and fashion with a unique approach in capturing personalities, gender politics and social capital on the canvas. John Singer Sargent: Fashion and Swagger brings this all together for everyone to enjoy on the big screen, the expert commentaries adding value and insight.
Sargent’s approach is testament to how clothes and outward apparel can make a powerful social statement and one that still reverberates today, albeit in different ways. Sargent’s portraits certainly capture the imagination and Bickerstaff conveys this with skill despite an over-reliance on ‘talking heads’: he should consider limiting them to a select few and re-introducing them with inter-titles whenever they appear. @MeredithTaylor
John Singer Sargent: Fashion and Swagger IN CINEMAS 16 APRIL 2024