His mother was born a slave, but escaped to Pennsylvania via the Underground Railroad and was a free woman by the time he was born.

And although he wanted to establish himself in the art world, the legacy of slavery overshadowed him. In painting African-American subjects, he wanted to give them a better legacy.

In this episode, we’ll talk about Henry Ossawa Tanner, and one of his most famous works, The Banjo Lesson.

 

 

 

 

The Banjo Lesson

>>>Click here to view a larger version of The Banjo Lesson<<<

 

Compare & Contrast:

Here is the inspiration photograph & original illustration:

 

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Recommended for Further Study:

Henry Ossawa Tanner: Modern SpiritHenry Ossawa Tanner: American ArtistHenry Ossawa Tanner: A Spiritual BiographyHenry Ossawa Tanner: His Boyhood Dream Comes True