The American painter John Singer Sargent's (1856-1925) world of images is full of contrasts. The technically brilliant Sargent had an impressive international career, especially with his elegant portraits of personalities from the upper echelons of international high society, but there are also several lesser-known yet interesting sides to his reuvre. This exhibition marks the first extensive presentation of Sargent's work in the Nordic region.

Sargent may have been of American parentage, but most of all he was a cosmopolitan: born in Florence, he studied in Paris, lived in London and travelled around the world. His friends and acquaintances included his Nordic contemporaries Anders Zorn and Albert Edelfelt and there are many parallels between their careers. Sargent's artistic production was extensive; estimated at over 900 paintings and twice as many watercolours.