At the height of his career, Sargent painted twelve portraits of the Wertheimer family, commissioned by Asher Wertheimer, a German-Jewish London art dealer who became his greatest private patron and close friend. Their portraits, later gifted to the National Gallery, stirred both admiration and controversy, challenging societal norms. In Family Romance: John Singer Sargent and the Wertheimers (FSG, 2024), Jean Strouse's historical narrative explores the decline of the British aristocracy and the evolving art market across London, Vienna, and Italy.
Christina Obolenskaya researches twentieth-century women’s political history based out of Columbia University and LSE. In the past, her work has been featured in the Times Literary Supplement, Harvard Review and more.
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Jean Strouse, "Family Romance: John Singer Sargent and the Wertheimers" (FSG, 2024) | New Books in Art podcast - Listen or read transcript on Metacast
