“By the River,” a work by John Singer Sargent, created in 1885, is an oil painting on canvas characteristic of the Impressionism movement. Measuring 51.44 x 69.85 cm, the artwork falls into the genre painting category and is presently housed in a private collection.
The artwork depicts a serene and tranquil scene by a river, where a woman, dressed in a white and lavender outfit adorned with a bonnet, leisurely reads in a small boat. The lush greenery and painterly brushstrokes emphasize the impressionistic style, while the reflections in the water and the dappled light evoke a sense of peacefulness and natural beauty. The composition perfectly captures a moment of quiet repose, encapsulating the essence of a leisurely afternoon spent in nature.