The Smoky Thames For my research paper I will be using the 1885 piece "The Smoky Thames" by John Singer Sargent. The topic I will talk about is: "How the understanding of a design and its aesthetic reflects the cultural context in which the designer/artist worked in the example you chose." John Singer Sargent uses only grayscale and a sad, inactive background to show the disorder and loss of hope in the Thames at the time. John Singer Sargent was an American painter who was "...known as the most fashionable portraitist of the 19th century." century” (Ormond). Ever since Sargent was a child, he had a goal of becoming an artist, so most of his energy went into pursuing his dream. Eventually Sargent and his father decided that he should study in Paris in Carolus-Duran's studio. During his studies he paid close attention to Velazquez, “…Frans Hals also had an important influence on his brushwork” (Ormond). Sargent was known throughout Europe for his exquisite skills as a portraitist and made numerous commissions for people around the world. Although he was recognized primarily for his portraits, Sargent also worked on landscapes and watercolors. The River Thames has a lot of history and is a very recognizable landmark in London. The first mention of the Thames dates back to 54 BC When civilization began to develop in the United Kingdom, the River Thames was used as the main source of water. As civilization began to spread and new sources of fresh water were discovered, "The Thames was used as a means of disposing of waste produced by the city of London, effectively turning the river into an open sewer" (Sinclair). When the Thames began to become more occupied with pollution than fresh water, they had to evacuate the… paper medium… of their river. From the use of color in The Smoky Thames, it is clear that Sargent's mood was sad at the time, as the colors portray melancholy. It is evident that Sargent had many ways of painting things, as seen by the differences in his two pieces, and that The Smoky Thames is a beautiful landscape. Works Cited Richard Ormond. "Sargent, John Singer." Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. Network. December 2, 2013.Sargent, John Singer. The smoky Thames. 1885. Oil on canvas. John SingerSargent, Milwaukee Museum of Art.Sargent, John Singer. Street In Venice. 1882. Oil on wood. National Gallery of Art. Sinclair, Mick (2007). The Thames: a cultural history. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press. Trevor Fairbrother, John Singer Sargent, New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1994