Bears in History

John Singer Sargent

John Singer Sargent (1956-1925) was born in Florence, Italy, of American parents; he retained his American citizenship, but spent most of his life in Europe. He was renowned in his lifetime for the society portraits he painted; but in Jeff's opinion, it is his watercolor paintings that are remarkable beyond words.

Self-Portrait, 1906.

The painting above is one of his few self-portraits (oil on canvas), painted in 1906 when he was 50 and looking pretty woofy. The three photographs at the upper left document his first 40 years; the two at the bottom, taken the year before his death, show him to good effect in his cigar-smoking, daddy-bear mode.

Sargent in 1924, age 68.

Josef Gabriel Rheinberger

Josef Gabriel Rheinberger (1839-1901) was born in Vaduz, the capital of Liechtenstein. His musical talent was manifest early: already at age 7 he was organist at the Vaduz Chapel of St. Florian. He began composing early, but only published his op. 1 in 1859. He wrote a great deal of choral music and music for the organ, in a rather traditional style. We've not been able to identify the source or date of the photograph, but it probably dates from around 1845.

Yvo Pascual

The (cropped) photograph here comes from the book Joan Miró, 1893-1983, by Janis Mink (Benedikt Taschen, Köln, 1993). Of course, it's purpose is to illustrate the life of the artist Miró (his leg is just visible on the left), but we're much more interested in the bearish Pascual. So far though, all we know about him is what is says in the caption: "Miró and his friend Yvo Pascual in front of the silhouette of the village of Prades, 1917".