The art of napping
by John Singer Sargent (1904)
The beauty of a power-nap.
The Roman poet Ovid once observed, “There is more refreshment and stimulation in a nap, even of the briefest kind, than in all the alcohol ever distilled."
In this painting we see a group of friends taking an intimate nap together in the Italian sun. The American artist John Singer Sargent had joined his friends in the Italian alps, where he painte this image of pure relaxation and bliss.
I chose today’s painting because it captures the relaxation and pleasure that comes with a good nap. As far as I know it is one of the only paintings to depict people taking a nap together. The painting exudes a sense of calm and tranquility. It makes me want to take a nap. As Proust once quipped, ‘the most powerful soporific (sleep-aid) is sleep itself. Nothing is healthier than a good nap. It makes the day thus the brighter.
The compositon is quite striking. The image is very cropped, and we see little of the landscape. But the sun casts beautiful shades of green and brown across the sleeping figures. Their bodies lie close together, entangled in each other. It’s an idyllic scene and suggests a bohemian informality.
The man on the right is also a painter, and we know that he was having an affair with the woman on the far left, the daughter of an American tycoon. His brother, the man in the middle, can be seen laying his head on the second woman’s lap, suggesting some intimacy as well.
John Singer Sargent often painted his friends and fellows artists outdoors. He loved surrounding himself with fellow creatives. Consider, for example, the painting below, titled “Impressionists at work.” (see below)
I hope that today’s painting encourages you to enjoy a good nap today!
Julian
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