Mrs. Henry Marquand is an oil painting by American artist John Singer Sargent, completed in 1887. The artwork depicts Catherine Rebecca “Kate” Simpson, the wife of prominent American businessman Henry Gurdon Marquand. The realism style used in this painting showcases Sargent’s exceptional talents as a portraitist of his generation.
Sargent was known for his use of vibrant Impressionistic brushstrokes and untraditional compositional solutions, which can be seen in this piece through the carefully crafted details on the dress and jewelry worn by Mrs. Marquand. The painting measures 169 x 107 cm and is located at The Art Museum, Princeton University.
It is one of Sargent’s 900 oil paintings and more than 2,000 watercolors across his career. Mrs. Henry Marquand demonstrates how he skillfully captured high society figures of his time period with extraordinary detail and clarity.
In 2011, Mrs. Henry Marquand was exhibited alongside other famous pieces by Sargent at Princeton University Art Museum for the first time ever; it attests to its significance amongst Sargent’s body of work that largely concentrated on portraits created during Belle Époque era France or painted figures from England or America’s high societies during that same era – perfectly exemplifying why he remains a leading figurehead in art today whose reputation endures centuries after producing masterpieces like Mrs. Henry Marquand ago that still captivate audiences today thanks to their focus on fine-tuned details sure to endure decades if not centuries later
