John Singer Sargent: Honors and Shyness

"Reconnoitering (Ambrogio Raffele)" by John Singer Sargent

"In the course of his career John Singer Sargent received decorations and diplomas from many countries: America, France, Italy, Germany and Belgium, each in turn paid him honour. In England in 1904 he received a D.C.L. [Doctor of Civil Law] from the University of Oxford. In 1907 he was offered a knighthood by the Prime Minister. Pleading his American citizenship, he declined. In 1913 he was give the degree of LL.D. [Doctor of Laws or an honorary degree] by the University of Cambridge. Gratifying as these titles may have been, they were a source of great perturbation to Sargent in so far as they necessitated a public appearance. Even when assured that no speech would be expected he seemed afraid lest some unforeseen contingency should bring upon him the hated ordeal. In reply to a letter asking him to address a philosophical society of Harvard University on Art he drafted this reply:

 'Dear Sir, It is an honour that I fully appreciate and am deeply grateful for having been thought entitled to. I should be pleased to accept if I had the least right to hope that a miracle would happen in my favour. The miracle of overcoming something like panic when asked to speak has never happened to me yet, and the spectacle of panic instead of a speech is the entertainment I have afforded and long wince resolved not to afford again. The annals of the society would have a disaster to chronicle that I feel bound to spare them by declining an honour that would entail the saddest consequences...'

This nervousness in public did not hinder him from doing public work. It did, however, prevent him, on the resignation of Sir Edward Poynter in December, 1918, from accepting the Presidency of the Royal Academy. When pressed very hard he said to his friend Sir Arthur Cope: 'I would do anything for the Royal Academy but that, and if you press me any more, I shall flee the country.' Sir Arthur adds: 'There is no doubt that if he had allowed his name to stand he would have been elected, not only without dissent, but with acclamation.'" 

To be continued

(Excerpts from "John Sargent" by Evan Charteris.)