A feisty British art critic with an unpronounceable name hosts this pugilism-themed bout between two of the Edwardian Age's most fascinating painters—Walter Sickert and John Singer Sargent. Waldemar Januszczak (who also wrote and directed the documentary) comes off like an irreverent, punk version of Simon Schama as he energetically oversees this aesthetic battle royale between the two subjects, early on clearly favoring the drab but evocative paintings of Sickert. Born in Germany, Sickert eventually settled in Camden Town, London, living among derelicts—specifically, the quietly tragic small-time music hall performers whose likenesses graced many of his best-known canvases. The naturally gifted, genteel, and aristocratic Sargent, on the other hand, chose the city's posh Chelsea neighborhood and dutifully cranked out portraits of the West London elite. Januszczak revisits the streets and studios where the two produced their best works, which viewers get to see and assess for themselves. After an entertainingly witty and opinionated jaunt through Sickert and Sargent's respective career histories, Januszczak finally delivers the knockout punch telegraphed from the very beginning: while Sargent may have been the more technically accomplished of the pair, his oeuvre held no “sense of what the world was becoming.” Sickert, by contrast, presciently captured a distinct modernist mood, with deceptively simple paintings that expressed the anxiety, hopelessness, and superficiality that were increasingly becoming associated with 20th-century urban life. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (M. Sandlin)
Walter Sickert vs. John Singer Sergeant
(2010) 60 min. DVD: $19.99. Kultur International Films (avail. from most distributors). ISBN: 978-0-7697-9023-7. Volume 26, Issue 2
Walter Sickert vs. John Singer Sergeant
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