The picture below is a bad reproduction of John Singer Sargent's portrait of the Boit Children. Sargent was the third revelation for me as a student. He is terribly out of fashion nowadays.

Many years ago a Jerwood Prize official, who should have known better, opined to me that Sargent was no more talented than those artists who draw portraits for London tourists. Astonishing: these people can make or break careers. The trouble with Sargent is that he was too gifted, and his sitters were wealthy Edwardians. It is also fashionable to sneer at portraiture, full stop. Augustus John is likewise dismissed for much the same reasons.

Just look at the totally convincing giant vase in the background that the second girl is leaning against.