Relief / John Singer Sargent / Oil on canvas / 1911 AD / 63.8 x 76.2 cm / National Gallery Washington

Rosemary Ormond, Sargent's niece, who is a frequent subject of the artist's paintings, rests calmly on the back of the sofa, unaware of future events. John Singer Sargent, who was one of the most popular portrait painters of the late Victorian era, finally decided to stop painting portraits of the rich and experience new spaces.

Sargent created the painting "Relief" after this decision. In this work, the artist has an informal and comfortable study on the subject. Rosemary, immersed in a poetic feeling, rests comfortably in a calm atmosphere and on a velvet-covered sofa, which is a symbol of luxury. Unfortunately, this comfort and elegance will be destroyed with the start of the First World War and Rosemary will be killed during the bombing of Paris by Germany.

In this portrait Sargent clearly shows his mastery of light, color and texture. He displays the quality of surfaces and fabrics with various brushstrokes. In this portrait Sargent clearly shows his mastery of light, color and texture. He displays the quality of surfaces and fabrics with various brushstrokes.

The artist balances the ostentatious sheen of the satin dress with soft blues and pinks on the wall.

The entire panel is painted with soft yellow, warm and transparent white, blue-green and light and cold purple, and the main colors are seen in various shades and degrees of white, gray, silver and gold.