William Michael Harnett
William Michael Harnett began painting still lifes early in his career, initially limiting himself to the fruit and flower subjects common in 17th-century Dutch painting. In 1876, perhaps influenced by the foreign objects, art, and antiques that he saw at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition, Harnett began to paint manmade items as well, such as musical instruments, books, beer mugs, and smoking pipes.
What does this painting reveal about the artist’s process?
This striking oil study is a deviation from the more polished still-life tradition, and one of hundreds made by 19th-century painters. This work allows us to better understand the artist’s techniques and compositional strategies by observing his thought process as he worked through the problems of individual objects. Each element has a slightly flat quality that allows it to occupy its own iconic space, which may unintentionally make Harnett’s study look rather modern to contemporary eyes.
Gift of J. Benbow Bullock
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