John Singer Sargent

1 5.3

An American painter who painted elegant portraits of rich and important people

proper noun

: John Singer Sargent

Among his most famous works, John Singer Sargent's 'Portrait of Madame X' stands out.

Examples

In the early 20th century, John Singer Sargent gained fame for his elegant depictions of high society.
Art historians praise John Singer Sargent for his innovative brushwork and striking likenesses.
The exhibition featured several masterpieces by John Singer Sargent.
John Singer Sargent was a master of portrait painting.
Many art enthusiasts admire John Singer Sargent's work.
Art critics often highlight John Singer Sargent as a key figure in the development of modern portraiture.
Many artists consider John Singer Sargent a master of capturing human likeness and emotion.

Surface Forms

John Singer Sargent main

Morphology

John + Singer + Sargent

This is a proper name referring to a specific historical individual; the meanings of the constituent words ('John', 'Singer', 'Sargent') do not compose to indicate 'a prominent American painter known for elegant portraits.' Proper names are arbitrary and non-compositional, so a B1 learner who knows the separate words would not be able to infer the referent or biographical information from the parts alone.

Etymology

John Singer Sargent was an American painter born in Italy who became famous for quick, elegant portraits of rich people; imagine him using fast brushstrokes to catch the shiny fold of a silk dress and the look in a sitter's eyes. That's why his name today is used for 'a master of stylish, lifelike portraits'.