Now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Manhattan, New York, this iconic full-body portrait by English artist John Singer Sargent created a volatile social scandal in Paris. The subject, a beautiful young socialite named Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau, was known for her indulgent lifestyle, particularly marred by numerous extra-marital affairs. Sargent depicts her in a provocative black dress and severely contrasts her pale skin against the dark dress and muddy background, a portrayal that seemed to almost deify the model, implicitly glorifying her questionable way of life at the time. This led to Sargent & Gautreau being severely ostracized in Parisian society, with the former moving to London where he found future success.