John Singer Sargent Book

A quarantine offers a perfect time to re-visit the great masters, and Sargent is most assuredly that. Justly celebrated for his scintillating portraits - he's certainly the greatest portraitist of recent times and one of the greatest ever - I nonetheless often prefer his hauntingly beautiful landscapes, which frequently are watercolors created during his "free" time in exotic locales. Many beautiful scenes from Venice and the Middle East, but just as many others from gardens and orchards. Carter Ratcliff's book offers a wide range of beautiful reproductions - I wish there were more full-color Moroccan photos - accompanied by incisive commentary that does not shy away from criticism or controversy. Certainly an excellent volume to keep forever in one's library.