Henry Ossawa Tanner

#FallenThroughTheCracks – Henry Ossawa Tanner was born on June 21, 1859, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His parents gave him a middle name that commemorated the struggle at #Osawatomie, between pro-and anti-slavery activists. Tanner studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts where he would be the only black student. Tanner moved to Paris, in 1891 to study at the Académie Julian and ended up spending the rest of his life in France.

Tanner’s work featured mostly biblical themes and received critical praise for works such as The Resurrection of Lazarus and Daniel in the Lions’ Den (both created in 1896). Critics felt his work held a “powerful air of mystery and spirituality”. During World War I, Tanner worked for the Red Cross and painted images of African-American troops from the front lines of the war. Tanner’s Sand Dunes at Sunset, Atlantic City (c. 1885) hangs in the Green Room at the White House and is the first painting by an African-American artist to have been purchased for the permanent collection of the White House.

In his adopted home of France, in 1923 Tanner was appointed Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, the highest national order of merit. He considered this “citation by the French government to be the greatest honor of his illustrious career.” Tanner’s work was influential during his career; he has been called “the greatest African American painter to date.” He was the first African-American painter to gain international acclaim. Tanner died peacefully at his home in Paris, France, on May 25, 1937. 

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