Cornelius Vanderbilt II (1890)-full by John Singer Sargent HD Download

Cornelius Vanderbilt II (1890)-full by John Singer Sargent

Cornelius Vanderbilt II (1890)-d2 by John Singer Sargent

Cornelius Vanderbilt II

John Singer Sargent

Artist John Singer Sargent

Date 1890

Medium Oil on canvas

Collection Metropolitan Museum of Art

Download

Standard Quality

1363 x 1800 pixels · 1.52 MB · JPEG

Premium Quality

2929 x 3868 pixels · 7.59 MB · JPEG

About the Artist

John Singer Sargent

American (1856-1925)

was an expatriate artist, celebrated as one of the greatest portrait painters of his time. Although born in Florence, Italy, to American parents, Sargent spent most of his life in Europe, and his work reflects a sophisticated international perspective. From a young age, Sargent showed extraordinary artistic talent. He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris under the guidance of Carolus-Duran, whose teachings encouraged confident, expressive brushwork. Sargent quickly developed a signature style that combined technical precision with bold, fluid strokes. A defining moment in his career came in 1884 when he exhibited Portrait of Madame X at the Paris Salon. Intended to showcase his brilliance, the painting caused a scandal due to its suggestive pose and daring attire. The backlash damaged his reputation in Paris, prompting him to relocate to London. In London, Sargent rebuilt his career with remarkable resilience. His portraits of British aristocrats, American elites, and artistic celebrities were lauded for capturing not only physical likeness but also psychological depth. He became the most sought-after portraitist in both Europe and the United States. Despite this success, Sargent eventually grew tired of portrait commissions. He once declared, “No more mugs!” In his later years, he turned his focus to landscapes and watercolors, traveling widely to Venice, the Alps, and the Middle East. These works revealed a more relaxed and impressionistic side of his artistry. Sargent died in London in 1925, leaving behind a legacy of over 900 oil paintings and 2,000 watercolors. His work continues to inspire artists and audiences alike, admired for its brilliance, elegance, and psychological insight.

Master’s Palette

Reveal the unique color story behind each piece, helping you delve into the artistic essence, and spark boundless inspiration and imagination.

HEX color palette extracted from Cornelius Vanderbilt II (1890)-palette by John Singer Sargent

Bring the captivating colors to your project. Click to copy!

#1d1d22

#c3998c

#745750

#97564d

#46322f

#dabaad

#9f7d72

#333338

Artwork Story

John Singer Sargent’s 1890 portrait of Cornelius Vanderbilt II exemplifies the artist’s uncanny ability to distill Gilded Age grandeur into a single, arresting image. The industrial magnate is rendered with that characteristic Sargent precision—the way the light catches the subtle sheen of his tailored waistcoat, the almost imperceptible tension in his left hand resting on a chair back. There’s a peculiar duality here: Vanderbilt’s posture suggests casual authority, but the painting’s tight cropping and dark tonal range create this sort of pressurized intimacy, like we’ve interrupted a boardroom negotiation.
This wasn’t just society portraiture; it was psychological theater. Sargent’s brushwork in the cravat alone—those loose, darting strokes that somehow resolve into crisp linen at viewing distance—betrays his Venetian influences, though he’d never admit it. The background dissolves into a Rothko-esque haze decades before Abstract Expressionism, which is funny when you think about it. Comparisons to his later *Madame X* are inevitable, but where that painting thrived on scandalous allure, this one trades in quiet domination. You don’t need to know railroad monopolies to recognize the quiet menace of inherited power.
The portrait would feel at home in one of those wood-paneled libraries where cigars are cut with silver shears—spaces where money whispers rather than shouts. It shares DNA with Boldini’s merciless society portraits, though Sargent’s version of ruthlessness is subtler, almost polite. What’s fascinating is how contemporary it feels; strip away the period details and you’ve got the same predatory ease you’d see in a CEO’s LinkedIn headshot today. The painting doesn’t age because the power dynamics it captures never really changed.