In June, we’ll see an intriguing comparative parallel between two visions of the Gilded Age: the return of The Buccaneers on Apple TV+ and The Gilded Age on HBO Max. But while the series that (poorly) adapts Edith Wharton’s novel leans toward the Bridgerton school of thought (that is, bordering on hysteria and fantasy with anachronisms), Julian Fellowes’ series mixes real historical figures with fictional characters. One of them, as we recently discussed here on MiscelAna, is the portraitist John Singer Sargent, who is set to paint a portrait of Gladys Russell (Tassa Farmiga), as seen in the trailer.

Sargent’s paintings are so iconic that he was once compared to the legendary Spanish painter Velázquez, a master of portraiture. And “coincidentally,” on the centennial of Sargent’s death, anyone in England can see many of his classics up close at the Kenwood exhibition: Heiress: American Portraits by Sargent.

Heiress: American Portraits by Sargent is about the “buccaneers” or “dollar princesses” — American women who crossed the Atlantic to marry British aristocrats, exchanging money for titles. The exhibition’s goal is not only to showcase his famous paintings, but also to unveil the stories behind them. As stated in the official release, the portraits represent some of his most glamorous and striking works, including full-length oil paintings and charcoal portraits.

Sargent’s participation in the HBO Max series will be interesting to follow, and without a doubt, the actor chosen to portray him will garner attention. Sargent was a presence in Europe’s elegant salons, dressed in white linen and in high demand among the wealthy. His work was successful outside the gallery circuit, as critics often dismissed him as a decadent presence whose work was superficial. As someone who loves portraiture, I obviously disagree.

This narrative has shifted in recent years, and experts now speak of a “reputation journey” — something confirmed by the Kenwood House exhibition in Hampstead. The curators selected around two dozen portraits of women once dismissed as “dollar princesses.” It is estimated that the number of buccaneers reached over 100. That’s right — more than 100 American heiresses took part in this social and economic transaction between 1870 and 1914, and Sargent painted 30 of them.

Among the works at Kenwood House are portraits of controversial figures like Nancy Astor, the first woman to sit in the British Parliament, and Grace Curzon, Marchioness of Kedleston, who was married twice — her second husband being Lord Curzon, Viceroy of India. She and her three stepdaughters were all lovers of the detestable Oswald Mosley (whom we saw in Peaky Blinders). Just two examples of the kinds of women Sargent painted. The exhibition is full of astonishing stories.

Sargent imbued his subjects with sensuality and elegance, immortalizing the personalities of figures that history might have forgotten were it not for his old-fashioned portraiture. A specialty that gains more prestige as we continue to uncover his true talent.

The simultaneous return of The Buccaneers and The Gilded Age rekindles the fascination with a time marked by luxury, power exchanges, and appearances. But it is in the figure of John Singer Sargent — with his portraits flirting with eternity — that the past and present meet most powerfully. Between television fiction and consecrated art, the painter emerges not only as a visual chronicler of the Gilded Age but also as a protagonist of a historical reevaluation that lifts him from the margins and places him at the center of the conversation. A true rediscovery worthy of his muses and brushstrokes.