Henry Ossawa Tanner, 1859-1937, was a deeply religious, mystical painter,
who, as an African-American, found it difficult to gain acceptance for his
artwork in the United States, and lived most of his life in France. The
Smithsonian American Art Museum presents this comprehensive online
exhibition on Tanner's life and work, utilizing both paintings and archival
materials from its collections. The Flash exhibit is divided into three
sections. First, there is Biography, essentially an illustrated timeline,
including photographs showing Tanner in his studio at 51 boulevard Saint-
Jacques, Paris, ca. 1900, and Tanner's wife, Jesse Macauley Olssen, at the
time of their marriage in 1899. Second, Work in Context, where users can
first read a bit about Tanner's education and contemporaries, then view
examples of Tanner's work, and try a self-test, attempting to pick out the
Tanner paintings from groups of four paintings on particular themes, e.g.
Nocturnes, Portraits, Shepherds. Finally there is a Gallery of all 57
Tanners held by the Smithsonian American Art Museum. [DS]
Copyright 2005 Scout Report (posted here with permission).
