Study for the Annunciation (ca. 1898)
Technique: Giclée quality print
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Henry Ossawa Tanner's painting, "Study for the Annunciation" (ca. 1898), exhibits a raw and expressive prelude to his more refined canvases of biblical scenes. In this study, we witness the young Virgin Mary, portrayed with a modest and contemplative demeanor, located in a humble setting that anticipates the spiritual significance of the angel's message.The work contrasts textures and colors – Tanner employs earthy tones and broad, gestural brush strokes to create a sense of immediacy and the tactile reality of Mary's environment. The right side of the canvas offers a rendition of an angelic figure, marked by Tanner’s characteristic use of luminous, almost ethereal whites and yellows, contrasting starkly with the darker, subdued surroundings.This painting, a study in anticipation of a pivotal biblical narrative, captures a moment frozen in time, rich with emotional and spiritual anticipation.
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Henry Ossawa Tanner (June 21, 1859 – May 25, 1937) was an American artist who spent much of his career in France. He became the first African-American painter to gain international acclaim. Tanner moved to Paris, France, in 1891 to study at the Académie Julian and gained acclaim in French artistic circles. His painting Daniel in the Lions' Den (1895, location unknown) was accepted into the 1896 Salon, the official art exhibition of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Tanner's Resurrection of Lazarus (1896, Musée d'Orsay, Paris) was purchased by the French government after winning the third-place medal at the 1897 Salon. In 1923, the French government elected Tanner chevalier of the Legion of Honor.