Henry Ossawa Tanner, America’s First Internationally Recognized African-American Artist

In this lecture Dr. Harvey sketches the career of Henry O. Tanner, from his roots in the AME Church to his studies with Thomas Eakins in Philadelphia and his blossoming career in Paris. Although he is best known for his religious subjects, painted after his arrival in Paris in 1892, Tanner has an important connection to Highlands, where he spent the summer of 1888 during a teaching stint in Atlanta at Clark University. His experiences here influenced two of his widely admired paintings of the African-American community, The Banjo Lesson (1893) and The Thankful Poor (1894), both exhibited to wide acclaim in Europe.

This program is in collaboration with the Highlands Historical Society.

Join us after Dr. Harvey’s presentation from 4:30 - 6:30 for a wine reception at High Country Wine & Provisions!