Madame X or Portrait of Madame X is an 1884 portrait painting by John Singer Sargent of a young socialite, Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau, wife of the French banker Pierre Gautreau.

Madame Pierre Gautreau (the Louisiana-born Virginie Amélie Avegno; 1859–1915) was known in Paris for her artful appearance. Sargent hoped to enhance his reputation by painting and …

Mar 24, 2017 · In Sargent’s most famous portrait, Virginie Gautreau, a celebrated American beauty living in Paris, dresses in daring advance of fashion–the unadorned simplicity of the …

Madame X is perhaps Sargent’s most infamous painting. When it debuted at the Paris Salon of 1884, critics lashed out at the artist for what they deemed a scandalous, immoral image.

Jun 18, 2025 · John Singer Sargent thought he would be ruined by the reaction to his “Madame X” at the Paris Salon in 1884. Instead, the scandal around the workmade him even more popular.

Apr 21, 2025 · John Singer Sargent's most iconic portrait Madame X was the scandal of the 1884 Paris Salon. Here's the story behind the masterpiece.

May 1, 2025 · Sargent and ‘Madame X’ Return, Notorious as Ever “Sargent and Paris” at the Met shows how a young John Singer Sargent found his footing — and highlights a trans-Atlantic …

Oct 14, 2023 · Sargent spent about a year on the portrait, much interrupted by the restless and inattentive model. He had intended the painting to establish his career as a society portraitist. …

Madame X, oil painting created by Italian-born American artist John Singer Sargent in 1884. Sargent, who was largely brought up and educated in Europe, painted this remarkable portrait …

Madame X is perhaps Sargent’s most infamous painting. When it debuted at the Paris Salon of 1884, critics lashed out at the artist for what they deemed a scandalous, immoral image.