OHN SINGER SARGENT was born in Florence, the son of American parents. His father, FitzWilliam, was by that stage a non-practising medic and his mother, Mary, manipulated her health to keep the family on the move, seeking sun in the winter and the cool of the mountains in the summer. John was one of six children, three of whom died young, leaving him with two sisters, Emily and Violet. The family drifted, travelling, as they said, for health, not pleasure, renting accommodation according to the season in Italy, Switzerland, Germany and France, but favouring Nice for the winter. As a result of this peripatetic life, the children had little formal education, but were fluent in French, German and Italian, as well as English. In May 1874, Sargent enrolled as a student in the Paris studio of Carolus-Duran, a latter-day disciple of Velázquez. He exhibited his portrait at the Paris Salon in 1882, together with , which, with another scene of
