Artwork
Moorish Buildings on a Cloudy Day
Moorish Buildings on a Cloudy Day is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist John Singer Sargent. It dates from 1890 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
Executed around 1879–1880, this work is an oil painting on a panel support, measuring 26 by 34.9 cm. The composition depicts architectural structures, buildings beneath a cloudy sky. As an early work by John Singer Sargent, it uses oil on a rigid ground rather than canvas.
History & Provenance
John Singer Sargent created the oil painting Moorish Buildings on a Cloudy Day around 1879–1880, during his early travels in Spain and North Africa. Executed on a panel support, it depicts architectural forms beneath a cloudy sky. It is recorded in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art; no accession number or exhibition history is provided in the available sources.
Context
Created by John Singer Sargent around 1879–1880, the work is an oil on panel depicting buildings under a cloudy sky and measuring 26 by 34.9 cm. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The painting belongs to Sargent's early exploration of atmospheric effects and architectural subjects during his travels in Europe and North Africa.
Overview
John Singer Sargent’s 1890 oil painting Moorish Buildings on a Cloudy Day presents a modest white structure with three narrow dark windows, set against a muted, overcast sky. The building’s weathered walls rest on an uneven stone pavement, conveying a sense of quiet, sun‑baked stillness. The work is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection.
Subject & Meaning
The composition focuses on a single Moorish edifice, emphasizing its simple geometry and the subtle play of light on its aged surfaces. By isolating the building from any bustling activity, Sargent invites contemplation of the architecture’s durability and the quiet atmosphere of a cloudy day in a foreign locale.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
John Singer Sargent (; January 12, 1856 – April 15, 1925) was an American expatriate artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Belle Époque and Edwardian-era luxury.
