Yes Virginia there is :santa: (in Baltimore)
There is a clue in this painting, http://www.jssgallery.org/Paintings/...ur_Doctors.htm[url]
for the possible answer for the question: how can we explain that Sargent painted one figure in dark?

I give! What reason did Sargent give for having one figure in the dark?

Did Sargent ever say? . . . or is this all conjecture?

Jim and Steven:
Thanks for your interest in this post. A long term game from this post will benefit more for SOG and participants, so I'll wait for more discussion , while consulting with scholars, masters.
It's conjecture, but in "Sargent's later portrait", one can find an instance of what Sargent's own thought on a group portrait.
"Conjuncture", maybe, explain part of it.

This new discussion was noticed by Yahoo searching engine.

Here is the quotation of Mao that Mr. Clinton likes:
"you want to know the taste of a pear, you must change the pear by eating it yourself. If you want to know the theory and methods of revolution, you must take part in revolution. All genuine knowledge originates in direct experience".

I believe that Sargent made the mouth, and all other things "wrong" because he wanted us to open our eyes to the divine variations of life i general.

And then he had a reputation to live up to.

Allan

Alan:
Good point!
Sargent knows four languages, plus another one, musical language.
Stubborn or clever, I spent a lot of care on analyzing English words as a way of studying art. Many thanks to Cynthia, whose deed enables me for having some time to do this, in return, I hope to donate some income from my future book to Forum.

http://www.jssgallery.org/Resources/Forum/Kidman4.htm

Commemorate Sargent's 150 birthday
...... the most impressive one for me:http://jssgallery.org/Paintings/Youn...ng_a_White.htm

What I noticed, Jim, is that clue--a globe in that portrait of four doctors. More clearly, if you look at a world map, which contain an enigma that is so interesting.