What is Henry Ossawa Tanner birthday?

Henry Ossawa Tanner was born at 1859-06-21

When was Henry Ossawa Tanner died?

Henry Ossawa Tanner was died at 1937-05-25

Which age was Henry Ossawa Tanner died?

Henry Ossawa Tanner was died at age 77

Where is Henry Ossawa Tanner's birth place?

Henry Ossawa Tanner was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

What is Henry Ossawa Tanner nationalities?

Henry Ossawa Tanner's nationalities is American

Henry Ossawa Tanner - Realist Painters, Life Achievements and Personal Life

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Henry Ossawa Tanner's Personal Details

Henry Ossawa Tanner was a renowned African American painter

Information	Detail
Birthday	June 21, 1859
Died on	May 25, 1937
Nationality	American
Famous	Artists & Painters, Artists, Realist Painters
City/State	Pennsylvania
Birth Place	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Gender	Male
Sun Sign	Gemini
Born in	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Died at Age	77

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Who is Henry Ossawa Tanner?

Henry Ossawa Tanner was an African American painter. Belonging to a religious family, he developed an interest towards art when he was a teenager. His ability to depict landscapes and biblical themes earned him international fame. While on a tour to Europe, he visited Paris. What attracted him most in Paris was the freedom from racial discrimination of its artistic world. There he studied under renowned academic painters like Jean-Paul Laurens and Benjamin Constant for a brief period. His early paintings like ‘The Banjo Lesson’ and ‘The Thankful Poor’ reflect the influence of realist artist Thomas Eakins on him. His ‘The Banjo Lesson’ denotes sharing of knowledge through its simple drawing style. Most of his famous works are his depiction of the daily life of blacks and each of these art works represent the black people in a dignified manner. His visit to places like Tangier and the Holy Land inspired him to create paintings with religious themes. His paintings with religious themes include ‘Daniel in the Lions’ Den’. The painting of ‘The Disciples See Christ Walking on the Water’ mirrors his sense of photography. As an artist, he was the recipient of numerous prestigious honours like the Order of the Legion Honor.

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Childhood & Early Life

Born in a religious African-American family of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, Henry Ossawa Tanner was the eldest of nine children of Benjamin Tucker Tanner, a minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and Sarah Tanner.

His family shifted to Philadelphia when he was very young. He studied at the Robert Vaux School. Later he attended several African-American schools where he studied liberal arts curriculum.

He was attracted towards arts since his early childhood days. As a teenager, he dreamt of becoming a painter. Moreover, his poor health condition made him to stay at home most of the time and he utilized that time for drawing works.

In 1876, he drew paintings of harbour scenes, portraits of landscapes and various animals that he noticed in the zoo of Philadelphia. After his recovery, he took admission at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 1880.

There he studied under the guidance of Thomas Eakins, a renowned American sculptor and realist painter who had a great influence on Henry’s life and work .

Career

After completing his study, Henry moved to Atlanta, Georgia to teach art. There he worked as a teacher at Clark University. At that time he made a failed attempt to open a photography studio.

With the help of Joseph C. Hartzell, a bishop, he exhibited some of his paintings in Cincinnati. In 1891, he went on a tour across Europe with the patronage of that bishop and Mrs. Hartzell.

In the same year, his visit to Paris changed his entire life. He was fascinated by France’s artistic world that was much advanced than that of America’s art world. He decided to stay in Paris for the rest of his life.

In Paris, he attended the Academie Julian, an art school. Colours like blue and blue-green played a dominant role in most of his paintings that he created at that time. He also started using the artistic technique of light and shade during that period.

In 1893, he came back to the United States to deliver a paper on African Americans and art at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. In the same year, he created one of his famous works ‘The Banjo Lesson’ while he was in Philadelphia.

Through this work, he highlighted the role of blacks as entertainers in American culture. In the next year, he created ‘The Thankful Poor’. In this year, he displayed his paintings at the annual Paris salon.

In 1896, he was honoured with an award for his creation of the painting ‘Daniel in the Lions’ Den’ that depicts the biblical theme of the “Old Testament”. In 1898, he created ‘The Annunciation’.

In 1899, Booker T. Washington, an African-American educator and author published an article on Tanner. The publication of this article played a significant role in securing him an important position in the art industry of America.

During that time, he displayed his creations through a number of exhibitions in Philadelphia, Boston, New York, Chicago and several art centres of America. ‘Abraham’s Oak’ was his one of the remarkable creations that he drew in 1905.

In the same year, he also created ‘The Two Disciples at the Tomb’. He arranged a solo show for his religious paintings at the American Art Galleries in New York in 1908.

In 1918, he skilfully handled the image of sunlight in the painting titled ‘Birthplace of Joan of Arc at Domremy-la-Pucelle’. In 1925, an African-American journal titled “The Crisis” depicted him as a representative of African-American creative persons.

Major Works

He created his masterpiece ‘The Banjo Lesson’ in 1893. The drawing shows a young boy is learning to play banjo from an aged gentleman. The image is truly praiseworthy mainly for its usage of light and shades in a meaningful way.

Awards & Achievements

In 1897 he painted ‘The Raising of Lazarus’ which is based on a biblical theme. This piece of art work won a medal at the Paris Salon in the same year.

The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts honoured him with Lippincott Prize in 1900, for his work ‘Nicodemus Visiting Jesus’, created in 1899. This painting describes the meeting between Jesus and Nicodemus, a biblical figure.

Personal Life & Legacy

In 1899, he tied the nuptial knot with Jessie Ollsen, an American opera singer. Their son Jesse Ossawa Tanner was born in 1903. Tanner passed away at his home in Paris.

Trivia

The middle name of this famous African American artist was named after white militant Abolitionist John Brown’s nickname Osawatomie Brown. John Brown was given this name to honour the memory of the Battle of Osawatomie, Kansas.

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Henry Ossawa Tanner biography timelines

// 21st Jun 1859
Born in a religious African-American family of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, Henry Ossawa Tanner was the eldest of nine children of Benjamin Tucker Tanner, a minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and Sarah Tanner.
// 1876 To 1880
In 1876, he drew paintings of harbour scenes, portraits of landscapes and various animals that he noticed in the zoo of Philadelphia. After his recovery, he took admission at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 1880.
// 1891
With the help of Joseph C. Hartzell, a bishop, he exhibited some of his paintings in Cincinnati. In 1891, he went on a tour across Europe with the patronage of that bishop and Mrs. Hartzell.
// 1891
In the same year, his visit to Paris changed his entire life. He was fascinated by France’s artistic world that was much advanced than that of America’s art world. He decided to stay in Paris for the rest of his life.
// 1893
In 1893, he came back to the United States to deliver a paper on African Americans and art at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. In the same year, he created one of his famous works ‘The Banjo Lesson’ while he was in Philadelphia.
// 1893
He created his masterpiece ‘The Banjo Lesson’ in 1893. The drawing shows a young boy is learning to play banjo from an aged gentleman. The image is truly praiseworthy mainly for its usage of light and shades in a meaningful way.
// 1896
In 1896, he was honoured with an award for his creation of the painting ‘Daniel in the Lions’ Den’ that depicts the biblical theme of the “Old Testament”. In 1898, he created ‘The Annunciation’.
// 1897
In 1897 he painted ‘The Raising of Lazarus’ which is based on a biblical theme. This piece of art work won a medal at the Paris Salon in the same year.
// 1899
In 1899, Booker T. Washington, an African-American educator and author published an article on Tanner. The publication of this article played a significant role in securing him an important position in the art industry of America.
// 1899
In 1899, he tied the nuptial knot with Jessie Ollsen, an American opera singer. Their son Jesse Ossawa Tanner was born in 1903. Tanner passed away at his home in Paris.
// 1900
The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts honoured him with Lippincott Prize in 1900, for his work ‘Nicodemus Visiting Jesus’, created in 1899. This painting describes the meeting between Jesus and Nicodemus, a biblical figure.
// 1905
During that time, he displayed his creations through a number of exhibitions in Philadelphia, Boston, New York, Chicago and several art centres of America. ‘Abraham’s Oak’ was his one of the remarkable creations that he drew in 1905.
// 1905 To 1908
In the same year, he also created ‘The Two Disciples at the Tomb’. He arranged a solo show for his religious paintings at the American Art Galleries in New York in 1908.
// 1918 To 1925
In 1918, he skilfully handled the image of sunlight in the painting titled ‘Birthplace of Joan of Arc at Domremy-la-Pucelle’. In 1925, an African-American journal titled “The Crisis” depicted him as a representative of African-American creative persons.

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Henry Ossawa Tanner's FAQ

What is Henry Ossawa Tanner birthday?
Henry Ossawa Tanner was born at 1859-06-21
When was Henry Ossawa Tanner died?
Henry Ossawa Tanner was died at 1937-05-25
Which age was Henry Ossawa Tanner died?
Henry Ossawa Tanner was died at age 77
Where is Henry Ossawa Tanner's birth place?
Henry Ossawa Tanner was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
What is Henry Ossawa Tanner nationalities?
Henry Ossawa Tanner's nationalities is American
What is Henry Ossawa Tanner's sun sign?
Henry Ossawa Tanner is Gemini

Henry Ossawa Tanner - Realist Painters, Life Achievements and Personal Life