Portrait of Mrs. Ernest G. Raphael, nee Florence Cecilia Sassoon - John Singer Sargent
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Description
A refined 1906 portrait by John Singer Sargent, featuring Florence Cecilia Sassoon in a dark, atmospheric setting with delicate pearl jewellery.
John Singer Sargent painted this portrait of Florence Cecilia Sassoon, later Mrs. Ernest G. Raphael, in 1906. The work captures the subject seated in a formal interior, positioned against a dark, atmospheric background that directs the viewer's attention to her face and the luminous quality of her attire. Sargent employs a restrained palette, relying on the contrast between the deep black of the subject's gown and the pale, reflective tones of her skin and jewellery.
The sitter is depicted wearing a high-collared pearl necklace and a brooch, which catch the light and provide a sense of texture against the fabric of her dress. Her posture is composed, with her hands resting gently on a small object in her lap. The chair, featuring carved wooden armrests, adds a sense of physical weight and period-specific detail to the composition. Sargent's brushwork remains controlled, focusing on the play of light across the surfaces of the pearls and the velvet-like quality of the gown.
This portrait reflects the conventions of early twentieth-century society portraiture, where the artist balanced the representation of individual likeness with the display of social status. The dark, moody environment is characteristic of Sargent's studio work from this period, where he often used shadow to create a sense of depth and focus. The painting remains a clear example of his technical ability to render light and material, providing a record of the sitter's appearance during the Edwardian era. The work is currently held in a private collection, representing a specific moment in the artist's career as he moved away from large-scale public commissions toward more intimate portrait studies.
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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
Portrait of Mrs. Ernest G. Raphael, nee Florence Cecilia Sassoon - 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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