William Michael Harnett (August 10, 1848 – October 29, 1892) was an Irish-American painter known for his trompe-l'œil still lifes of ordinary objects. For those of you that are not familiar, this is an art technique that uses realistic imagery to create the optical illusion that the depicted objects exist in three dimensions. Forced perspective is a comparable illusion in architecture.
Harnett painted musical instruments, hanging game, and tankards, but also painted the unconventional Golden Horseshoe (1886), a single rusted horseshoe shown nailed to a board.
1. Plucked Clean
Medium: oil on canvas
2. My Gems
Medium: oil on wood
Dated: 1888
3. A Sprig of Plums
Medium: charcoal and black chalk with stumping and scratching out on cream wove paper
Dated: 1873
4. The Old Violin
Medium: oil on canvas
Dated: 1886
Harnett’s last few years were greatly successful where he brought several thousand dollars for each of his painting. Although he couldn't achieve a position in the professional artistic community.
In National Academy, he had a great influence on the painters of the late nineteenth century. However, with his increased success also came illness when he was plagued with rheumatism and kidney disease.
The illness definitely made a difference to his health but not to his paintings, though it kept his easel from his for several long periods.
He finally sought for his condition in Arkansas in late 1887 thereafter in New York City in 1889. He finally died In New York Hospital in 1892.
Feel free to leave comments, and suggestions! All images are free to download, so enjoy them!
0 comments:
Post a Comment