John Singer Sargent’s 1904 portrait of Lady Helen Vincent, Viscountess d’Abernon, was considered one of his more risqué paintings at the time. Here, Lady Helen is flanked by two hedonistic vignettes by Fragonard as she watches over a sensual party below. The narrative in this painting—as in most of my work—is about the pursuit of pleasure and the disregard for the boundaries that society often places on women. It’s My Party and I’ll Cry if I Want To will be on view at Salon 21 in New York City beginning May 1.
