One positive influence for Vanessa’s work was that of John Signer Sargent. “confident style of painting so suited to the ‘swagger’ portrait, which concentrated on tone rather than line and built up pictorial effects with fluid, well-loaded brush.” (marsh 10) He did not draw on the canvas unless it was with a brush and focusing on modern genre scenes and portraiture.
Carnation Lily Lily Rose 1885 – 1886
John Singer Sargent (American, 1856-1925), The Piazzetta with Gondolas,
Bell also had a influence from a rival of hers, whose art work she found to be a waste of time with its strong ties to academia, modern composition built on techniques passed down for centuries “When I paint a picture I want to give a message and I care comparatively little about how good the art is.” (Spalding 1) She wanted her art to speak for it self not have the didactic, or linear aspect over shadow her expression through the art. It is Watts that helps define what Bell is not and what she wants to achieve with her art.
George Fredrick Watts Orpheus and Eurydice
Out Side of Time and Space 