The artwork titled “Nonchaloir (Repose)” was created by the artist John Singer Sargent in the year 1911. The medium used for this piece is oil on canvas, exhibiting the Realism movement’s attention to lifelike representation. The piece is of the genre painting variety, with dimensions measuring 63.8 x 76.2 cm.
In this artwork, the viewer is presented with an intimate scene of leisure and repose. A woman, bathed in soft, ambient light, is depicted lounging with a sense of relaxed abandonment in a richly appointed room. Her posture is one of both physical and psychological ease; her body draped across a chair, her head resting on its back, eyes closed and face softened as if deeply in a state of tranquility. The luxurious fabrics that envelop her, from her clothing to the drapery cascading off the chair, are rendered with fluid brushstrokes, highlighting the juxtaposition of textures and the interplay of light and shadow. The figure’s serene disposition and the tactile quality of her surroundings combine to evoke a moment of calmness and private contentment, captured by Sargent with a dexterous hand. The painting is signed by Sargent, anchoring its authenticity and allowing the viewer a glimpse into the high society and understated elegance that Sargent was often commissioned to capture.
