Which John Singer Sargent painting at the Met is a portrait of Virginie Gautreau?

The John Singer Sargent painting at the Met that portrays Virginie Gautreau is Portrait of Madame X.

Sargent painted the portrait in 1883–84, depicting Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau, an American-born Parisian socialite married to banker Pierre Gautreau. The full-length portrait shows her in a striking black evening dress against a dark background, emphasizing her pale complexion, elegant profile, and dramatic pose.

When the painting debuted at the Paris Salon in 1884, its daring presentation provoked criticism. One shoulder strap appeared to have slipped, and the portrait’s stylized sensuality was considered improper by many viewers. Sargent later repainted the strap, but the controversy damaged his standing in Paris and helped push him toward a career centered in London.

Sargent kept the work for years before selling it to The Met in 1916. The title “Madame X” conceals the sitter’s identity, but Virginie Gautreau is now central to the painting’s history and interpretation.