Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose by Hugh Brewster
My friend Kelly Herrold has posted a few times about Carnation,Lily, Lily, Rose: The Story of a Painting by Hugh Brewster. Most recently she blogged about it for a Nonfiction Monday, reminding me I'd been meaning to find this book ever since her initial review of this lovely book about the creation of one of John Singer Sargent's most famous paintings, which was named (anyone?) "Carnation, lily, lily, rose."
Hugh Brewster relates the well-known story about the creation of Sargent's painting by writing a fictionalized retelling from the perspective of the original model for the painting, ___ Millet, who was 5 years old when Sargent began the portrait. She was eventually replaced by two fair-haired models, Polly and Dolly Barnard. The story is fascinating, and really gives insight into Sargent's process as he tried to capture the quality of the light near sunset and the glow of the Chinese lanterns.
The story is well-written, full of anecdotes and information. Not just names and dates, although they are most certainly there, but also the sorts of details that really speak to young readers: how our MC felt a bit overlooked because her mother was caring for a sick baby brother, her father was tied up with his friends and her aunt was busy sewing white frocks as costumes for the painting. How the men would set up Sargent's enormous canvas outdoors, then play tennis in the afternoon, dropping rackets and racing over to the canvas when the light was almost right so Sargent could paint. The illustrations are mostly paintings and sketches by Sargent, with the occasional photograph of a letter or cartoon or something else. The book gives the impression of being well-researched and well-documented.
Information about how Sargent was influenced by Monet and the new school of painting called "Impressionism," and an understandable explanation about impressionism and its goal of capturing the light. Sargent's dedication to trying to capture the light almost as a snapshot, and the steps he took in order to get the setting just as he wanted it.
I have a big "but," however. (That's a one-T but, folks, not the other sort.) The memorable scenes described in the book are two: one is the repeated telling of how everyone would stop whatever they were doing a few minutes before the light was right and rush over to watch as Sargent worked; the other is a birthday party for the narrator's mother (Elizabeth, called Lily), in which Sargent and others sang a song by Joseph Massenghi called "Ye Shepherds Tell Me", which has a recurring chorus of "Carnation lily, lily rose", during which Sargent and the others would bow to the narrator's mother every time they sang the word "lily."
The song is indeed the basis of the painting's title. The narrator existed, her mother was named Lily, Sargent and his friends liked to sing. BUT there's no evidence that Sargent and his friends ever serenaded Lily Millet with the song, on her birthday or otherwise. The author's note makes clear that that part is "imagined", and that he would like to believe it could have happened. What, then, to do with this book? Reject is as nonfiction because it relates stories as truth which didn't occur? On the whole, I think not. Most of the rest of the story is well-researched and supported; however, knowing that he made up that scene does cause me to wonder what else Mr. Brewster made up. And it made me think about what duty of care we owe to all readers, but particularly young readers, when writing nonfiction, which is probably a different discussion for a different day.
For the gist of the story of the creation of this painting without the lovely writing and detail that's contained in the book, you can check out the John Singer Sargent Gallery website. But if you really want a kid-friendly story about Sargent (including information about his past history and disgrace in Paris, and going forward until the time of his death in summary form, but with emphasis on the year or more he spent creating his singular, career-making painting), pick up Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose. Just don't say I didn't warn you about a bit of fictionalization along the way.
Hugh Brewster relates the well-known story about the creation of Sargent's painting by writing a fictionalized retelling from the perspective of the original model for the painting, ___ Millet, who was 5 years old when Sargent began the portrait. She was eventually replaced by two fair-haired models, Polly and Dolly Barnard. The story is fascinating, and really gives insight into Sargent's process as he tried to capture the quality of the light near sunset and the glow of the Chinese lanterns.
The story is well-written, full of anecdotes and information. Not just names and dates, although they are most certainly there, but also the sorts of details that really speak to young readers: how our MC felt a bit overlooked because her mother was caring for a sick baby brother, her father was tied up with his friends and her aunt was busy sewing white frocks as costumes for the painting. How the men would set up Sargent's enormous canvas outdoors, then play tennis in the afternoon, dropping rackets and racing over to the canvas when the light was almost right so Sargent could paint. The illustrations are mostly paintings and sketches by Sargent, with the occasional photograph of a letter or cartoon or something else. The book gives the impression of being well-researched and well-documented.
Information about how Sargent was influenced by Monet and the new school of painting called "Impressionism," and an understandable explanation about impressionism and its goal of capturing the light. Sargent's dedication to trying to capture the light almost as a snapshot, and the steps he took in order to get the setting just as he wanted it.
I have a big "but," however. (That's a one-T but, folks, not the other sort.) The memorable scenes described in the book are two: one is the repeated telling of how everyone would stop whatever they were doing a few minutes before the light was right and rush over to watch as Sargent worked; the other is a birthday party for the narrator's mother (Elizabeth, called Lily), in which Sargent and others sang a song by Joseph Massenghi called "Ye Shepherds Tell Me", which has a recurring chorus of "Carnation lily, lily rose", during which Sargent and the others would bow to the narrator's mother every time they sang the word "lily."
The song is indeed the basis of the painting's title. The narrator existed, her mother was named Lily, Sargent and his friends liked to sing. BUT there's no evidence that Sargent and his friends ever serenaded Lily Millet with the song, on her birthday or otherwise. The author's note makes clear that that part is "imagined", and that he would like to believe it could have happened. What, then, to do with this book? Reject is as nonfiction because it relates stories as truth which didn't occur? On the whole, I think not. Most of the rest of the story is well-researched and supported; however, knowing that he made up that scene does cause me to wonder what else Mr. Brewster made up. And it made me think about what duty of care we owe to all readers, but particularly young readers, when writing nonfiction, which is probably a different discussion for a different day.
For the gist of the story of the creation of this painting without the lovely writing and detail that's contained in the book, you can check out the John Singer Sargent Gallery website. But if you really want a kid-friendly story about Sargent (including information about his past history and disgrace in Paris, and going forward until the time of his death in summary form, but with emphasis on the year or more he spent creating his singular, career-making painting), pick up Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose. Just don't say I didn't warn you about a bit of fictionalization along the way.