Woodside event offers schooling on a 'Scandal'

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This detail of John Singer Sargent’s “Portrait of Madame X” shows the daring gown and unusual pose that caused a scandal in 19th-century Paris. Courtesy WikiMedia Commons

Famed portraitist John Singer Sargent raised many eyebrows in 1880s Paris with his painting of socialite Amelie Gautreau, a work known as the “Portrait of Madame X.”

Artist, teacher, art historian and architect Jim Caldwell discusses “The Scandal of Madame X” in an online talk presented Friday, Nov. 6, 7-8 p.m. by the Woodside Arts & Culture Committee.

Caldwell not only delves into what made Sargent’s portrait so deliciously scandalous at the time — from the plunging neckline of Madame’s chic black gown to her unconventional pose — but he will also explore lesser known aspects of Sargent’s career, including his talents as a watercolorist, muralist and landscape painter.

The talk is presented as part of the Woodside Arts & Culture Committee’s Virtual First Friday series. For more information, visit woodsideartandculture.org.