Existing comment:
Henry Ossawa Tanner
Christ and His Disciples on the Sea of Galilee, ca 1910
To capture the mystery and drama of the story of Christ calming the waters, tanner created this small but powerful image. As a fishing boat plows through a rolling sea, its straining mast tilts sharply, signaling the power of wind and wave. Frightened passengers brace themselves in the bottom of the boat. Before them, a nearly transparent figure of Jesus stands with outstretched arms. The clouds begin to break in the distance, allowing a glimmer of sunlight to touch the bow of the beleaguered vessel.
The Pittsburgh-born Tanner had exhibited at the prestigious Paris Salon for almost a decade by the time he produced this scene. His internationally acclaimed paintings prompted one French art critic to place him "among the envied ranks of the arrived." As an African American artist, his professional acceptance in the United States was hampered by racial restrictions. "I cannot fight prejudice and paint," he announced before departing for Europe in 1891. Although he returned to America for extended visits, his primary residence remained in France. Today, Tanner is celebrated as one of the nation's most significant artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. |