The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-06-21
HENRY O. TANNER, s TODAY,
 IS GREATEST NEGRO ARTIST

Who is the greatest living painter of religious subjects? In Paris a ma tority of the artists would say the description fits Henry Ossawa Tam ner, whose masterpiece, "The Resur- rection of Lazarus" was bought by the French government and occupies & place of honor in thes Luxembourg. Probably not one of a dozen persons who have admired Tanners powerful paintings, and have stood spellbound before such canvasses as Christ and Nicodemus" and "The Death of Ju- das". knows that the artist is an Am erican and a negro. In Paris and London, Tanner moves on plane of equality with the great men of earth, without regard to srace, color or pre- vious condition of servitude."
 The first and only great negro artist was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., fifty three years ago to-day, June 21: 1859. His boyhood was spent mainly in Philadelphia, where his father, Rev. Dr.. Benjamin Tanner, clergyman, author and editor, long resided as a bishop of the African Methodist Epis- copal Church. The little colored boy early manifested his ability as an ar- tist by making sketches of animals in the Philadelphia Zoo. This early as Eakins, and the ambitious negro lad, as a student at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, speedily be- came MT. Eakins most promising pu- pill. Young Tanner then determined to go abroad to pursue his studies. of money. Then he hit upon a nov ell plan. He held a public auction of all his works, and the eanyases brought a total of $500. With that sum he set out for Paris. Arrived in the City of Light. he displayed his
 
 Benjamin Constant, and the two dis tinguished painters immediately be- came his firm friends and instructors.
 A way was thus opened for the arr tistic genius of the negro race, but the road still to be travelled was long less privationg. For two years Sthe determined young man existed in Par is, sometimes going for days without food. His health gave way under the strain and he went to Brittany. where the cost of living was cheaper tunate move, for it was with a Brit tany landscape that he first succeed ed in winning a place in the Salon.
 That was in 1894, and it was at about that time that the young artist began to paint the religious subjects that were to make his name famous the world over. His Daniel in ths Lions Don" won the approval of, the great Gerome, and through the inf1u- ence< of that master of oriental sub- jects the canvas was given a place of honor in the Salon.
 Thus encouraged, Tanner worked harder than ever. and in 1896 he had completed ''The Resurrection of Lag urus'' It was a powerful, striking work, admirable in execution, and ev- cry artist who viewed it realized that he was looking upon a masterpiece. It was a work such as is "not for a day, but for all time,'' and the artists rep utation was made. He not only re- ceived a gold medal. but the canvas was bought to be added to the price less collection in the Luxembourg. A decade later another of Tanners works, ''The Disciples at Emmaus." was added to the Luxembourg gallery.
 The artist is a scholarly, spectacled man, with a few of the facial charac- teristics of his race Modest and un- affected and devoted to bis work. he has won respect for himself as man as we'll as an artist. France boasts of it's tolerance in recognizing the genius of such men as Tanner and Du- mas-and carefully forgets that 1t murdered Toussaint POuverture.