Thistles

Museum record 145807: Thistles by John Singer Sargent. A verified entry point for discovery.

What to notice

For Thistles (record 145807), start with modern, expressive, atmospheric. Compare the focal subject, edge treatment, and atmosphere before moving on.

Discover

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 Impress…