Portrait of the Artist's Mother
Henry Ossawa Tanner, American (active France), 1859 - 1937
Geography:
Made in United States, North and Central America
Date:
1897Medium:
Oil on canvasDimensions:
29 1/4 × 39 1/2 inches (74.3 × 100.3 cm) Framed: 35 1/4 × 45 3/8 × 2 1/2 inches (89.5 × 115.3 × 6.4 cm)Curatorial Department:
American Art
EW1993-61-1Credit Line:
Partial gift of Dr. Rae Alexander-Minter and purchased with the W. P. Wilstach Fund, the George W. Elkins Fund, the Edward and Althea Budd Fund, and with funds contributed by The Dietrich Foundation, 1993
Made in United States, North and Central America
Date:
1897Medium:
Oil on canvasDimensions:
29 1/4 × 39 1/2 inches (74.3 × 100.3 cm) Framed: 35 1/4 × 45 3/8 × 2 1/2 inches (89.5 × 115.3 × 6.4 cm)Curatorial Department:
American Art
* Gallery 216, American Art, second floor (McCausland Gallery)
Accession Number:EW1993-61-1Credit Line:
Partial gift of Dr. Rae Alexander-Minter and purchased with the W. P. Wilstach Fund, the George W. Elkins Fund, the Edward and Althea Budd Fund, and with funds contributed by The Dietrich Foundation, 1993
Social Tags
african american art [x] african american artists [x] american artist working in paris [x] black art [x] expatriate [x] female subject [x] james abbott mcneil whistler [x] oil painting [x] portrait [x] woman subject [x]Painted during a triumphant visit home from Paris in 1897, Henry Ossawa Tanner’s portrait of his mother is both a tribute to Sarah Tanner—the central, stabilizing figure in her large and distinguished African American family—and a celebration of her son’s recent success in his chosen career, in which he had persevered despite initial opposition from his parents.
In its composition the work refers to a world-famous image by another American: James Abbott McNeill Whistler’s
Portrait of the Artist’s Mother of 1871. Tanner’s portrait of his mother has none of the cool austerity of Whistler’s picture; instead it is an affectionate portrayal of a strong, sensitive, thoughtful personality.Explore the Collections
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