Flight into Egypt (ca. 1916-1922)
Technique: Giclée quality print
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Henry Ossawa Tanner's "Flight into Egypt," painted around 1916-1922, envelops viewers in a transcendent, celestial atmosphere evocative of the biblical journey of the Holy Family fleeing to Egypt. In this painting, Tanner masterfully employs his distinctive style of luminescence and subdued earth tones to create an ethereal, almost otherworldly scene.The painting showcases the silhouettes of Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus, barely discernible in the shadowy foreground against a textured landscape under a moonlit sky. The gentle moon gleams softly, casting a divine light that guides their clandestine escape. Tanner's delicate handling of light not only focuses on the spiritual significance of the scene but also amplifies the sense of a quiet, solemn journey undertaken under the cloak of darkness.Tanner’s style, evident in the textured brushwork and the somber, rich palette, adds a deep sense of emotion and solemnity to the narrative. This work is a profound expression of Tanner's religious themes and his continuous exploration of light and its metaphorical capabilities.
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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.