Zuleika - (Zoo-lay-ka) . . . J.S.Sargent copy

10 x 14 in  -  25 x 36 cm     Watercolor

Sargent's original

The copy is the same size as the original. Most viewers of Sargent's watercolors, who see them in books or on the web, tend to assume that they are smaller that they actually are. Sargent's watecolors are on the whole very loose. If they do not look loose then what you are probably viewing is a half sheet or larger reduced to fit the area on the page.

Zuleika is only a (slightly trimmed) quarter sheet so the looseness of his original is clear.

As for my copy? - well OK on color and OK (mostly) on brush strokes. You can still see that Zukeika is in the shade of a tree and large patch of sunlight falls along side of her. The major weakness poor drawing of her body. I think I adjusted her head to be smaller and forgot to adjust the body to match - [sigh].

If you are interested in the story behind the name 'Zuleika' see the this article (read below the image) -

http://jssgallery.org/Paintings/Zuleika.htm

If you look closely at the original you will see that Zuleika has two right hands! One is propping up her head and the other is reaching across under her head and into the sunlight about to turn the page of the book.

In so many ways, this is Sargent as virtuoso.