Thistles
John Singer Sargent (American, 1856–1925)1883–89
View the original$18
Type
Size · in
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Materials & printing
Archival matte paper, 189 g/m² (10.3 mil), sourced from Japan, printed with multicolor water-based inkjet so every brushstroke stays crisp. Framed prints arrive ready to hang in a .75″ ayous-wood frame with an acrylite front. Sized to standard frames by cropping, never stretching — at most about 3% comes off one edge, which isn’t noticeable on most pieces, and we only offer a size when it stays that small.
Shipping & returns
Made to order and delivered in 5–8 business days (2–4 to print, 3–4 in transit). US shipping only for now. Because each print is made for your order, all sales are final — but if it arrives damaged or defective, send us a photo within 14 days and we’ll replace it free. Full policy.
Why is it this affordable?
A thin, flat margin on every piece — just enough to keep the store running. Most of what you pay is the print itself. We only sell sizes that reproduce at full quality, and we don’t mark up the large sizes the way most shops do.
About this work
Thistles captures the tangled movement of the windblown plants in light and shadow. Executing this work in rural England (or possibly in Nice, France), John Singer Sargent experimented with broken brushwork and a vibrant palette. The landscape composition is remarkably abstract, and the dynamic patterning of the thistles asserts the flatness of the picture plane rather than a sense of depth.
Beginning in 1885, Sargent spent more time painting out of doors, exploring the techniques and subjects of Impressionism, inspired by a growing friendship with Claude Monet. He continued painting en plein air throughout his life, a practice that provided needed respite from his busy schedule as an acclaimed portraitist.
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Original size
- 55.9 × 71.8 cm (22 × 28 1/4 in.)
Museum record · 2 owners · 1 exhibition
Provenance
- Artist's sale, Christie's, London, 24 and 27 July 1925, lot 198, sold to David Croal Thomson of Barbizon House, London.
- Charles Deering, Chicago; by descent to his daughter, Marion Deering (Mrs. Chauncey McCormick), 1927; by descent to her son Brooks McCormick, 1965; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1996.
Exhibitions
- Art Institute of Chicago, John Singer Sargent and Chicago’s Gilded Age, July 1–Sept. 30, 2018.
