Sargent was born on July 12, 1856. His parents were American, though he was born in Florence, Italy, and then moved to Paris, and then finally at the age of twenty to the United States. He displayed talent as a youth, and his father decided that he should work in the studio of Caolus-Duran, a Parisian portrait painter. Following that apprenticeship, Sargent went to Spain to study Velasquez' work.

Sargent settled in Paris, was well received there and continued to focus on portraits. In 1884 he painted Virginie Avegno Gautreau, his most famous portrait. Judged too provocative by many French people, it caused a scandal, that persuaded him to move to London.

Sargent finally journeyed to America in 1887; it was only his second visit. His talent was in demand; he painted nearly forty portraits. He began a series of murals for the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, a pursuit that would occupy him for the remainder of his life.

The turn of the century saw Sargent continue his excursions to Europe. He produced many landscapes, but they were largely unrecognized. His interest in both landscape and murals became so intense that in 1907 he announced he would abandon formal portrait painting altogether. The major part of the rest of Sargent's life was devoted to murals.

Bio text from the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute Williamstown, Massachusetts