Fishermen at Sea

Henry Ossawa Tanner, Fishermen at Sea, ca. 1913, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Jesse O. Tanner, 1983.95.215
Copied Henry Ossawa Tanner, Fishermen at Sea, ca. 1913, oil on canvas, 46 x 35 1⁄4 in. (116.9 x 89.5 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Jesse O. Tanner, 1983.95.215
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Fishermen at Sea
Artist
Date
ca. 1913
Location
Dimensions
46 x 35 1⁄4 in. (116.9 x 89.5 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of Jesse O. Tanner
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Subjects
  • Figure group — male
  • Occupation — industry — fishing
  • Waterscape — sea
  • Architecture — boat — sailboat
Object Number
1983.95.215
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1983.95.215

Artwork Description

Conservators discovered this painting on the back of Henry Ossawa Tanner’s Salome during restoration. Early in his career, Tanner painted marine scenes that showed man’s struggle with the sea, but by 1895 he was creating mostly religious works. In this painting, Tanner depicted a passage described in the book of Matthew: "But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary." The surging sea pushes the boat to an almost vertical position, revealing the fishermen that Tanner rendered as dabs of paint.