John Singer Sargent: A Portrait of a Generation Born in Florence, Italy, in 1856 to American parents – Dr. Fitzwilliam Sargent, an eye surgeon, and Mary Newbold Singer – John Singer Sargent’s life was one of constant movement and artistic evolution. His childhood was steeped in European culture, a far cry from the conventional upbringing of many American artists at the time. He spent his formative years touring Italy, France, Switzerland, and Germany, absorbing the art and atmosphere of these vibrant locales. This early exposure to diverse artistic traditions would profoundly shape his disti…