A Gust of Wind

A Gust of Wind is an experimental work by John Singer Sargent done in 1883. It was for a friend of his named Judith Gautier who was a poet and historical novelist from France. She often wrote reviews of his work, showing her appreciation for his style.

In this case, A Gust of Wind has a more impressionistic look than the realistic types of painting that Sargent is known for. This is due to the influence of his friend, Claude Monet, the French Impressionist painter. In A Gust of Wind a woman is walking in the outdoors. Most likely it is Judith Gautier because the name of the painting is also called Judith Gautier. She is holding her dress and her hat as she walks because of the wind. She is wearing a large bow that is blowing to the left of the painting. The impressionistic style used here works with the theme he was trying to convey.

The medium used to create A Gust of Wind is oil and canvas. It was painted in the outdoors from a low perspective because the viewer is looking up at the woman in the portrait. The brushstrokes are visible which is characteristic of the impressionistic style of painting. This is a very spontaneous piece of work that is very uncharacteristic of Sargent but was embraced by him in later years.

A Gust of Wind looks quite similar to Claude Monet's Woman With A Parasol. Both paintings feature a woman on a hill viewed from a low perspective. The latter was created in 1975 and both artists first met probably around 1876 when Monet's painting first appeared in the Second Impressionist Exhibition. Monet's painting featured Madame Monet and Son while Sargent's painting featured Judith Gautier. The dimensions of A Gust of Wind are 24 3/4 x 15 in. (62.87 x 38.1 cm) unframed and 31 15/16 x 22 3/8 x 2 in. (81.12 x 56.83 x 5.08 cm) framed. It is currently held in the McGlothlin American Art Galleries located in Virginia.