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Get Art Reproductions Dutch Girl, 1919 by Robert Henri (1865-1929, United States) | ArtsDot.com

Dutch Girl

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Robert Henri emerged onto the New York scene at the turn of the twentieth century as an artist working in the realist tradition, combining the immediacy of expression with subjects from everyday life. He arrived at realism through the influence of his teacher and teacher’s predecessor at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine arts, Thomas Anshutz and Thomas Eakins. On the occasion of his first one-person show at Macbeth Galleries in New York, Henri was treated disparagingly by the more conservative critics for executing seemingly incomplete paintings, predominantly landscapes which lacked in academic finish and detail. The criticism, coupled with his recent award of the silver medal for his figure paintings at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, caused him to abandon landscape for portraiture despite that his friend and colleague, John Sloan had said that “the game of getting portraits to paint was rather beneath his powers.” For models, Henri used his friends and, during the summer months, the natives of the places he visited. In the summers of 1907 and 1910, Henri traveled to Haarlem, The Netherlands where he painted many portraits of the local people, including Dutch Girl. The loose, painterly brushstrokes in Dutch Girl show Henri’s discovery and indebtedness to the Dutch master from Haarlem, Franz Hals. Henri’s fluid brushwork became frenetic. He would later tell his students, “finish as quickly as you can… get the greatest possibility of expression in the larger masses first. Then the features in their greatest simplicity… Do it all in one sitting if you can. In one minute if you can.”
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Robert Henri

A Turbulent Beginnings

Robert Henri, an American painter and teacher, was born on June 24, 1865, in Cincinnati, Ohio. His early life was marked by the tumultuous relationship between his father, John Jackson Cozad, a gambler and real estate developer, and his mother, Theresa Gatewood Cozad. This led to a significant event in 1882, which would alter the course of their lives.

The Ashcan School and The Eight

Robert Henri became a leading figure of the Ashcan School of American realism and an organizer of The Eight, a loose association of artists who protested against the restrictive exhibition practices of the powerful, conservative National Academy of Design. This group included William Glackens, George Luks, Everett Shinn, and John Sloan.

Artistic Evolution

Henri's artistic journey began in 1886 at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, under Thomas Anshutz. He later traveled to Paris in 1888 to study at the Académie Julian, where he was influenced by William-Adolphe Bouguereau and Francois Millet, eventually embracing Impressionism.

Teaching and Influence

Henri began teaching at the Philadelphia School of Design for Women in 1892. His students included Joseph Stella, Edward Hopper, Rockwell Kent, George Bellows, Norman Raeben, Louis D. Fancher, and Stuart Davis.

Personal Life and Later Years

In 1898, Henri married Linda Craige, a student from his private art class. After her passing in 1905, he remarried Marjorie Organ in 1908. His later years were marked by his continued influence on American Realism.
  • Key Works: "Woman in Manteau" (1899) and "La Neige" ("The Snow"), which was purchased by the French government for display in the Musée du Luxembourg.
  • Notable Students: Joseph Stella, Edward Hopper, Rockwell Kent, George Bellows, Norman Raeben, Louis D. Fancher, and Stuart Davis.
  • Artistic Movement: Ashcan School of American Realism.

Legacy

Robert Henri's impact on American art is undeniable. His commitment to realism and his influence on the next generation of artists have left an indelible mark. Explore more about Robert Henri and his contemporaries at The American Realism Art Movement or delve into the world of Edward Hopper, one of his notable students, at Edward Hopper.

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