1893 Mrs John Jay Chapman (Black Dress) by John Singer Sargent 5 Portraits of Women in Black Barnebys Magazine 1884 John Singer Sargent, Madame X (Virginie Gautreau) Fashion History Timeline Madame X (1884), John Singer Sargent's famed painting of a woman in a stunning black dress, is today considered an iconic work of American art, even though its origins actually lie in Antique 19Th Century Portrait Of Woman In Black Dress Oil On Canvas Too much skin! Thats what they said when they saw this painting. Funny what makes a scandal. , , Portrait of Madame X was painted by John Singer Sargent in 1884. The subject was Virginie Amlie