HENRY OSSAWA TANNER (1859 - 1937) Seated Arab.

HENRY OSSAWA TANNER (1859 - 1937)
Seated Arab.

Oil on wood panel, circa 1895-99. 331x235 mm; 13x9 1/4 inches. Inscribed "H. O. Tanner, 17, Rue N. D. des Champs" in pencil verso. Ex-collection the estate of the artist, with the blue ink stamps, signed by the artist's son, Jesse O. Tanner, and The Grand Central Art Galleries, New York, with the labels verso.

Illustrated in The Golden State Mutual Afro-American Art Collection, p. 22.

Tanner made many impressionist figure studies on similarly-sized wood panels during his trips to Tangiers and the Holy Land at the turn of the century. He made his first two trips to Egypt and Palestine during 1897-98. At this time, his painting style also took on a looser, impressionist manner as seen in Study for Christ and Nicodemus on a Rooftop, circa 1898-1899, and The Wreck, not dated, both in the collection of the Smithsonian. Tanner approached the subject of the Holy Land and its inhabitants with realism and equanimity whether he painted Arabs, Jews or Christians. Tanner stated:
"My effort has been not only to put the Biblical incident in the original setting...but at the same time give the human touch to convey to my public the reverence and elevation these subjects impart to me."

Tanner married Jessie Macauley Olssen on December 14, 1899 and moved to a studio on the boulevard St. Jacques. The different street address suggests that this work pre-dates his marriage and move.