Henry Ossawa Tanner

Henry Ossawa Tanner (1859–1937) was an American painter renowned for his contributions to the Realism movement. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Tanner was the son of a bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, which influenced his spiritual and thematic focus in art. He studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts under Thomas Eakins, who greatly impacted his development as an artist. Tanner's most celebrated works often depict biblical scenes, characterized by their emotive use of light and color, as seen in "The Banjo Lesson" and "The Annunciation." In pursuit of greater artistic freedom and to escape racial discrimination in the United States, Tanner moved to Paris in 1891, where he gained international acclaim and became the first African American artist to achieve such recognition. His legacy endures as a pioneering figure who broke racial barriers and enriched American art with his profound and sensitive portrayals of religious and everyday life.