The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-08-29
TANNER
Is Winner of Many
La,u!rels
Colored Artist Has Painted Many
Z Canvasses Well Known In Art
-. Circles Here and Abroad.

made his home in Paris, where he
has a studio and where he holds an
| enviable position In the world of art
! Of the great French capital. Prior to
this he lived in Philadelphia, the
city. 1of his first triumphs in his
! chosen profession and the abiding
place OF some Of his finest works.
I His Earnest Efforts. ---~-. (.
In reviewing his career the most
| remarkable thing about it, is the
thorough and effective manner in
which he has overcome the .impedi-
/ ments Of race prejudice and carved
for himself "a place emitting. him to
rank as one of the greatest painters
on either side Of the Atlantic.
This place, has been won by siren
uous and unceasing work, for earn
est effort is the keynote OF Tanners
tcharacter. He has demanded>a place
i'll art and won it. ~.
AS proof of his ability, his genius
and mastery ,portrayals In oil, it is
only necessary to- state that he is
one Of the two living men who have
had two pictures hung in the famous
Luxembourg galleries Of Paris. One
of these is, the Raising of Lazarus"
purchased by the French govern
ment q number bf years ago. <
Another signal recognition Of his
work was given last fall in Chicago
when he was awarded the w. Har-
ris prize Of $500 for the best paint
ing at the, exhibition of American
painters, held in the art institute
The picture :. was the "Disciples at
the Tomb" showing Peter and Paul,
the figures drawn with striking orig
tnality. The award to Tanner was
unanimous ON the part Of the art
committee.
Tanner now devotes all his energ-
les TO- the painting Of religious sub
3ects, In; which he excells. In the
earlier part, Of his, art :. career he
patntlad, npiarinee and animal objects,
but he has found religious portrait
ure more TO his tastes and more in
consistance with his genius. SO ex-
hatstive and devoted is he in read
ing eruR and and studying a Biblical
subject before he puts brush to can
Vass, that he has undermined his
health and is frail and delicate in
constitutions.
Encouraged by Mother.
In his early effort In the line az
tristic, when he Uttered up the house
with his sketches and painted bad
caricatures, when only mere child
he always. received the encourage
ment Of his mother. She was Miss
Sarah Miller, woman of scholarly
attainments, particularly in the lit
erary line, and it Is due to her care
and guidance, in large measure,
that his success is attributed. She
Is still living and was in Pittsburg
last winter.
Tanners Unsuitable passion for
drawing and painting manifested it.
self alta very early age. When only
re- years old one Of his pictures was
awarded a premium at the juvenile
texposition Of art held at the Phfla-,
delphia centennial in 1875.
After completing a common school
education in Philadelphia the boy
artist entered the study of his chosen
profession with that indefatigable
zeal and determination that has
| characterized his entire career. He
became pupil of BENJAMIN Con
80 g 2 & PatsaeaEa I-eretas, both now
distinguished painters in. Paris, but
then residing in the Quaker City.
TANNER made remarkable progress
and soon became fayorite pupil of
fh1s tutors. After while he went
70; Paris, where he again studied un-
der Constant, and about the same
time he made his first tour of the
HOLY Land, where he executed a
great number Of sketches, some Of
which he later worked up into finish
ed pictures. From this period Of
his life he became more than ever
absorbed In religious subjects and
formed the decision that he would
IN the future paint these almost ex-
lclu8vely.
In the opinion Of art critic, Tan
ners best work is in this line, al
though he has painted some excel
lent animal studies, landscapes and
marine. One Of his earliest works IN
animal painting is After Dinner !"
splendid picture of a lion licltfuy
his paws after goodly repast Of
meat Still another lion picture is the
King of the Desert" after the style
lof Gerome, showing a monarch
standing erect and fearless amid n
barren waste Of trackless sand. Fol
lowing these animal studies the
artist painted some marine studies.
one OF Which is here in the home
Of his aunt, Mrs Sarah Tanner.
Other noteworthy painting of this
period OF Tanners career are Deer
In the Adirondacks," executed in
1885 and now owned by>a wealthy
cOnnOisseur of Phi1adelnhia. "a 1as.-