John Singer Sargent Spanish Dancers – Study for El Jaleo

One of John Singer Sargent’s most celebrated works, El Jaleo cemented his place in history as one of the world’s greatest artists. This pencil on paper sketch titled Spanish Dancers was a study for that great painting. Sargent (1856–1925) painted El Jaleo in 1882 and was a work dear to his heart depicting his love of the gypsy dancers he sketched while in Spain which began in 1879. He treasured these sketches and many remain with the El Jaleo painting at the Elizabeth Stewart Gardner Museum at Boston.