Bruce Sargeant and His Circle

Inhabiting Personas: Art History from the Mind and Brush of One Man
July 07, 2010

The technique of this extremely interesting and well-conceived and designed art book is one that would invite the reader into Mark Beard's imaginary world. A thorough history of Bruce Sargeant is given in photographs, magazine articles and even letters to his friend regarding his passion for his lover Yip. By the time the viewer reaches the plates of Sargeant's paintings the imaginary world Beard has created is wholly credible. And as if Beard's channeling through the imaginary Sargeant weren't enough, he also creates Bruce Sargeant's 'Circle of Friends' - his teacher, the flamboyant Hippolyte Alexandre Michallon (many will appreciate the names selected for this imaginary character!) who taught Sergeant in the tradition of the École des Beaux-Arts and whose paintings are also included here (proving that Beard can paint far more tightly than his Sergeant paintings); his friend Edith Thayer Cromwell whose minor paintings cling to the Modernist school; Brechtholdt Steeruwitz who painted in the German Expressionist manner, separating himself from the Beaux Art style he learned with Sargeant; and finally a contemporary Peter Coulter who was influenced by all of this circle and brought about paintings that are far more political and angry and infused with an African American imagery. Some readers may question the impetus for this fascinating collection of works by one excellent contemporary artist as a ploy for marketing attention. But there is no denying the beauty of these paintings or the skill and craftsmanship of the painter. Mark Beard has found a way to explore the influences on figurative painting - figure and form - and the journey he is taking simply adds more excitement and depth to his work. This book is remarkable on many levels and for those who have yet to discover the artistry of Mark Beard, this is a magnificent way to appreciate his talent.

Reviewer: Grady H