Mary (ca. 1914)
Technique: Giclée quality print
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Henry Ossawa Tanner's painting "Mary" (circa 1914) captivates with its atmospheric and emotive qualities. In this deeply evocative work, Tanner portrays a young Mary, bathed in a celestial glow that gently highlights her contemplative expression. Set within a dimly lit interior, only a small, radiant light source illuminates Mary's face and hands, drawing viewer's focus to her serene and introspective demeanor.Mary, clad in modest garb, sits by a bed, suggesting a narrative soaked in tranquility and solitude. The subdued palette, dominated by deep blues and muted grays, enhances the painting's mystical and serene ambiance, allowing the viewer to sense a moment of profound spiritual reflection. Here, Tanner masterfully blends realism with spiritual symbolism, capturing both the human and divine nature of Mary."Mary" is a testament to Tanner’s skill in using light and shadow to elevate the spiritual over the literal, encouraging a moment of pause and contemplation in the viewer.
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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.