Okay - I already know I am addicted to the Getty but I found out there was a John Singer Sargent on loan to the Getty by a private owner. I had already been to the Huntington Library specifically to see the small Sargent collection there. But this was a chance to study Sargent much closer.

There is small barrier between you and the Sargent at the Huntington but the Getty's loaner is right there in your face. It's definitely his signature style - a young woman in draping satin and fine jewels in what appears to be a parlor of some splendor (though the Getty's placard says it was mostly Sargent's studio). I actually debated whether I should even try sketching it. I don't typically like sketching paintings, the composition is already worked out for you. But Sargent's signature style - loose but complete - was an interesting challenge.

Could you really do the painting much justice with just a simple graphite pencil? Well, a small group of men and women hovered around it - all obviously Sargent fans - most of the declaring so and if there were wine and cheese served that day I think they would have barely left the West Pavilion or that very room. One woman remarked, "oh look, he's trying to copy it." Muscles tensed, tempers were held in check, but after a moment she uttered "and doing a decent job of it." Ok, she can live. HAHA!

It was very chilly that evening - I went back to my car to fetch a jacket before returning to the galleries. I typically take my camera with me and there are colors everywhere from the change of the seasons that I really liked as well. But my favorite piece of technology did not yield my favorite piece from that day. It's probably a good thing my tablet pc's batteries were run dry by the time I made it to the Sargent. I wonder what he would have thought of the device or my using it to study his work so closely.

I can imagine for a minute he would be intrigued - he did after all live on the cusp of modernity and I am sure he knew how well his reputation spread through the world by steam and eventually by telegraph. Although he may have lived up to his military sounding name and yelled me into a coma. HA! I bet I could kick his ass if I really needed to but then I'd feel bad. I promise not to hurt the hands or the eyes!