Mrs. Charles Gifford Dyer (Mary Anthony) - John Singer Sargent
Archival giclée
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Description
A refined 1880 portrait by John Singer Sargent, capturing Mary Anthony in a quiet, contemplative pose during the artist's time in Venice.
Painted in 1880, this portrait depicts Mary Anthony, the wife of the American painter Charles Gifford Dyer. John Singer Sargent executed this work during his time in Venice, a period where he produced several studies of expatriate artists and their families. The composition is restrained, focusing on the sitter in a three-quarter view against a dark, atmospheric background.
Sargent employs a muted palette, dominated by deep tones that draw attention to the face and hands of the subject. The brushwork is characteristic of his early style, balancing precise detail in the facial features with looser, more gestural application in the clothing and the surrounding space. The sitter wears a dark garment with subtle lace detailing at the cuffs, which provides a slight textural contrast to the smooth, shadowed backdrop.
An inscription at the top of the canvas, 'To my friend Mr. Dyer, John S. Sargent, Venice 1880', confirms the personal nature of the commission. The work reflects the influence of Old Master techniques, particularly the tonal control seen in the works of Velázquez and Hals, which Sargent studied extensively during his formative years. The subject appears in a quiet, contemplative state, her hands clasped gently in her lap. This portrait avoids the theatricality often associated with Sargent's later society commissions, offering instead a more intimate view of his social circle in Italy. The lighting is soft, creating a sense of volume and presence without relying on harsh contrasts. It remains a clear example of Sargent's ability to capture character through subtle shifts in tone and careful observation of form.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Mrs. Charles Gifford Dyer (Mary Anthony) - John Singer Sargent
Artist Biography
John Singer Sargent
He was born in Florence to American expatriate parents and grew up moving between European cities. He never lived in America until he was middle-aged. He studied under Carolus-Duran in Paris, who taught him to paint directly from observation without underdrawing: load the brush, find the right tone, put it down in one stroke. The method required extraordinary hand-eye coordination and supreme confidence. Sargent had both.
Madame X, painted in 1884, nearly ended his career. The portrait of Virginie Amelie Avegno Gautreau, an American socialite in Parisian society, showed her in a black dress with one shoulder strap hanging off. The Salon audience was scandalised. Sargent repainted the strap in its proper position but the damage was done. He left Paris for London and rebuilt.
In London he became the portraitist of choice for the Anglo-American upper class. The technique is astonishing: he painted quickly, in long single-session sittings, and the brushwork has a fluency that makes other portraitists look laborious. The Wyndham Sisters, Lady Agnew of Lochnaw, and the portrait of Theodore Roosevelt show what he could do at full stretch.
He eventually did stop. After 1907 he largely abandoned portraits for watercolours and the murals at the Boston Public Library and the Museum of Fine Arts. The watercolours, painted on travels through Italy, Spain, and the Middle East, are looser and freer than the portraits and possibly better. He died in London in 1925, at sixty-nine.
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