: His technical facility was so great that some critics accused him of being a mere "human camera," capturing superficial appearances without a deeper personal vision.
: Sargent was deeply influenced by Claude Monet and the Impressionists, though he remained distinct from them. He was particularly adept at capturing the way light falls across objects and through atmospheric layers. The Empathy of John Singer Sargent's Portraits - The Easel John Singer Sargent
: Despite the look of ease, Sargent was a tireless perfectionist. He would often paint a section, find it unsatisfactory, scrape it down to a "shapeless mass," and start again until he achieved the desired effect. : His technical facility was so great that