Henry Ossawa Tanner

Date of Birth: June 21, 1859

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Date of Death: May 25, 1937

Biography

Henry Ossawa Tanner was an American artist who achieved international acclaim for his paintings. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Tanner became the first African-American painter to gain international fame. His father, Benjamin Tucker Tanner, was a bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and his mother, Sarah Tanner, was a former slave who escaped via the Underground Railroad. Tanner’s artistic journey began at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, where he studied under Thomas Eakins. In 1891, he moved to Paris to escape racial prejudice in the United States and enrolled in the Académie Julian. His works often depicted biblical scenes and landscapes, showcasing his mastery of light and shadow. Some of his most famous paintings include “The Banjo Lesson” and “The Resurrection of Lazarus.” Tanner’s career was marked by numerous accolades, and he was the first African-American artist to be elected a full member of the National Academy of Design in New York. He also received honors from the French government, including the Legion of Honor.

5 Interesting Facts about Henry Ossawa Tanner

1. Henry Ossawa Tanner was the first African-American painter to gain international fame.

2. He studied under the renowned artist Thomas Eakins at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

3. Tanner moved to Paris in 1891 to escape racial prejudice in the United States.

4. His painting “The Resurrection of Lazarus” won the medal at the Paris Salon in 1897.

5. He was elected a full member of the National Academy of Design in New York in 1927.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Henry Ossawa Tanner

1. “My effort has been not only to put the Biblical incident in the original setting…but at the same time, give the human touch ‘which makes the whole world kin’ and which ever remains the same.”

2. “I will preach with my brush.”

3. “The physical sight of the child awakened in me a new appreciation of the infinite beauty, tenderness, and simplicity of mother and child.”

4. “The function of the artist is to bring into the material world the vision of the spirit.”

5. “Truth is powerful and it prevails.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

The highest net worth achieved by Henry Ossawa Tanner is not precisely documented, but his paintings today are highly valued, with some selling for several hundred thousand dollars at auctions.