Rehearsal of the Pasdeloup Orchestra at the Cirque d'Hiver

Free rehearsals of the classical concerts conducted by Jules-Étienne Pasdeloup were a popular event in late- 19th-century Paris. John Singer Sargent attended the performances, drawing inspiration from the “odd picturesqueness”—as a fellow artist put it—of the steep view from the upper seats. This composition shows Sargent’s perceptive use of Impressionist techniques to depict modern, urban subjects. He employed thin, abbreviated brushstrokes to capture the rich atmosphere and graphic qualities of the amphitheater’s architecture, the musicians, their sheet music and instruments, and the circus performers gathered in the foreground.