I read this book in August 2008 and have been meaning to review it ever since. For shame.Most people know John Singer Sargent's infamous painting "Madame X" even if they don't know the name and have never heard of the artist because this painting has quite the sensational story attached to it.According to surrounding lore, Sargent initially painted "Madame X" with the right strap of her black gown slipping off of her shoulder.When the painting debuted at the 1884 Salon in Paris ( the place to have a painting displayed at the time and a good signifier of current or future artistic success) it created an uproar, so scandalous was the pose. Indeed, facing numerous charges of the painting's indecency, Sargent eventually repainted the strap sitting firmly, and properly, on Madame's shoulder.Pursuing my art history minor in New York City I had the amazing opportunity to see "Madame X" in person at the Metropolitan Museum. The painting has always had a special place in my heart for, if nothing else, the drama associated with its debut. So I was very pleased when a copy of Deborah Davis' book Strapless: John Singer Sargent and the Fall of Madame X (2004) fell into my lap.Part historical research, part biography, part social commentary, part feminist text, Deborah Davis handles a lot of material in a relatively small volume (320 pages with font of average size and relevant pictures included). One of the reasons Davis decided to research this particular painting and its subject is because so little information remains about Virginie Amelie Gautreau, her life, or how Sargent came to paint her scandalous portrait.While "Madame X" eventually catapulted Sargent into the artistic canon and toward immortality, the portrait likely led to Gautreau's ruin and her obscurity. In her book, Davis tries to set the record straight, portraying Gautreau as the powerful, savvy woman she was before a bare shoulder changed her social standing forever.My library system catalogs this book as a biography of John Singer Sargent, which for a lot of reasons is the logical choice. However, really, most of the book is spent looking at the life of Sargent's subject and patron: Madame Gautreau.The book traces Gautreau's family history, her migration from New Orleans to Paris (where she became a quasi-celebrity along the lines of Kim Kardashian or Paris Hilton virtually overnight at the tender age of twenty-three), and perhaps most interestingly just how much work went into being a beautiful woman in Paris in the 1880s. No details escapes Davis' examination as she looks at the clothing, finances, indeed the very persona Gautreau had to cultivate to live the decadent lifestyle she became accustomed to.The strong point in Strapless is when Davis sticks to such facts: how Gautreau lived, why Sargent would want to paint her, what happened at the Salon when "Madame X" debuted. Davis also expertly outlines the tenuous, and often stressful, patron-artisan relationships that Sargent and artists like him had to cultivate in order to eke out a living with their brush.The momentum flags when Davis veers into the hypothetical wondering if Sargent might have been in love with Gautreau, torn between her and one of his young proteges. While the theory is interesting, it does remain a theory very akin to the conspiracy theories so often found in research on the Titanic.That aside, Strapless is a remarkably well-done book. The thorough research shows through without dulling the writing. Davis' text is conversational and very accessible--more so, it must be said, than many writings found in the field of art history. An excellent book on art history for enthusiasts and art historians alike.
This book entered my life on pure chance. I had read The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris last summer (2012) and LOVED it for its in-depth portrayal of Americans in Paris during the Belle Epoque (and a little before and after that time as well). One of the most fascinating aspects of the book (for me) was the tidbit about the portrait of Madame X by John Singer Sargeant. McCullough talks about the controversy of the painting but did not go into as much detail as I would have liked but nevertheless I finished the book and assumed that my knowledge of the painting of Madame X would solely be internet-based. Then a few days after I arrived at college, I found this book at the campus book sale. So I naturally had to buy it. I read a chapter here or there periodically (when I had a little free time from schoolwork and extracurriculars) and finally finished it a few months ago. I quite enjoyed Strapless. I was actually surprised that Madame Gautreau was so self-absorbed, I'm not sure how to explain it but before this book I would have thought Sargeant (or any artist for that matter) would want to paint beautiful but also intellectually stimulating people. Or at least people who were actually doing things. And I guess Amelie was doing things, she was the IT Girl in 1880s Paris and as Davis shows it was not an easy job. I liked reading about her ridiculous, looks-obsessed world. And the irony that Gautreau's name is no longer associated with (now) one of the most well-known paintings of all time, she who sought immortality of her beauty, is both sad and funny. I think this book gives a great introduction to the Belle Epoque and I loved how everything tied back together (meaning the tangents on history and profiles of historical figures). The author explores Amelie and Sargeant's worlds, the other people Sargeant painted, the important figures in Amelie's life, but she never lost sight of the purpose of the book. Everything always came back to Madame X by Sargeant. I never mind when history books get off topic because I don't think its ever possible to truly get off topic when its history-related. This was my first foray into the world of art history and I found it both entertaining and engaging so I hope to re-enter that world, I'm open to recommendations.An absorbing, accessible glimpse into the history behind one of the most famous paintings and eras (the Belle Epoque) of all time.
Do You like book Strapless (2004)?
I'm going easy on this review partly because it was a very entertaining read and made my lunch break at work more enjoyable and partly because I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that Davis's writing wasn't half as vacant as I expected it to be from her bio on the back. Strapless is not, as others have commented, a particularly deep or scholarly work. It's a light, entertaining read for those already familiar with Sargent's works who wish to know a little more about one of his most famous subjects. While I would recommend the book to anyone looking to find out more about one of the most infamous painted works in modern art, while I was reading through the text I found myself thinking time and time again that a person who knows a bit more about other artists, painters and musicians of the time will get more out of this. After all, I doubt the average "Joe" on the street will understand what she means when she makes a comparison between the scandals surrounding both Madam X and Manet's Le déjeuner sur l'herbe. However I can't imagine this would hinder anyone's appreciation of the book. I was very pleased with the amount of research Davis has put into her book and even though I consider myself to be a huge Sargent fan I found even a few tidbits of information that I hadn't known before. For someone who has their background in screen writing she also managed to stay blissfully free of the trap that so many other pop historians fall into - superimposing her own feelings about people onto certain events and situations. Davis does a find job of sticking to facts and even took the time to rereview several of her peers who had previously written on Sargent in order to debunk a few glaring errors in their research. My only complaint about this book is that she seems to have trouble making it all mesh together. We jump from one story to the next, from one fact to the next without any connective tissue between them to flesh out the body of work. And while Davis obviously did her homework at times it seems that she did it a little too well. An entire passage in the beginning of the book is dedicated to the rise of Paris's first department store with out apparent meaning or connection to the story at hand.But really when all is said and done Davis does deserve her due and for choosing a subject that would inevitably be scrutinized so closely by so many people, and she has yet to do disservice to her readers. Four stars well earned.
—Kitty
A fascinating expose of "Madame X," the infamous portrait by John Singer Sargent, "Strapless" is a well-written combination of research paper and feature article. Edifying and entertaining, it is a quick read that art history buffs -- and those who, like me, just nibble about the corners -- will enjoy. But do not make the mistake of supposing Davis' book to be anything akin to a historical novel. It's most definitely not. It's a scholarly work that educates (although I found the book entertaining, as well, and was piqued enough to finish it within two days).Davis digs into the life of Virginie Amelie Avegno Gautreau, the haughty, porcelain-skinned beauty whom Sargent immortalized on canvas in 1883 at the age of 24. She had quite an amazing life. Born to Creole "royalty" in Louisiana, Amelie lost her father (a Confederate military leader who succumbed to injuries suffered at the Battle of Shiloh) at the age of 3 and moved with her widowed mother to Paris, France just three short years later. An ex-patriate for life, Amelie never again lived in the U.S. Instead, she took Paris by storm as a teenage beauty, and at the age of 19, married Pierre "Pedro" Gautreau -- a wealthy bat guano fertilizer magnate (no kidding!) -- who was 21 years her senior. The similarities in the adoration and elevation of celebrities based on beauty, wealth and youth between 1880's Paris and the US today are absolutely incredible. As so many young, wealthy, beautiful celebrities (like Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears, et al) are wont to do, Amelie also made some shallow, self-serving, ridiculously bad decisions in her lifetime -- and paid dearly for them. Hers is a tragic tale of a fall from adoration into infamy and eventual absolute obscurity.Davis follows John Singer Sargent's life and career, as well; and does an excellent job of tracking the effect "Madame X" had on his own life after the portrait's disastrous showing at the Paris Salon of 1884. I found Davis' work fascinating and well-presented, and would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone interested in art history. Bravo!
—Lisa
Fascinating book about the John Singer Sargent portrait "Madame X" and the woman behind it, Amelie Gautreau ("the unpaintable beauty and hopeless laziness of Madame Gautreau"). Not only is the time period fascinating (love the Belle Epoque) but the cast of characters seem more from fiction than non-fiction. It's mind-boggling that this portrait caused so much scandal with its loose strap when Parisians had infidelity hours (4-5 - get your affairs on!) Not to mention, I'd think Sargent's "Dr. Pozzi at Home" work would've caused a much bigger stir. Also interesting is how the portrait of Mme Gautreau eventually developed a cult following just as she was starting to fade from the spotlight (read: she was aging). Ultimately when he sold it to the Met, he erased her name from the title and Madame Gautreau became Madame X, denying her the chance to be forever immortalized, which is all she really ever wanted. Kind of sad, really, especially since she spent so much time and money trying to get new portraits made to replace this one.
—Michelle
