Palace of Justice, Tangier

Henry Ossawa Tanner, Palace of Justice, Tangier, ca. 1912-1913, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John Baxter, 1970.67
Copied Henry Ossawa Tanner, Palace of Justice, Tangier, ca. 1912-1913, oil on canvas, 25 5⁄8 x 31 7⁄8 in. (65.1 x 81.0 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John Baxter, 1970.67
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Palace of Justice, Tangier
Artist
Date
ca. 1912-1913
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
25 5⁄8 x 31 7⁄8 in. (65.1 x 81.0 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John Baxter
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Subjects
  • Figure group
  • Cityscape — street
  • Cityscape — Morocco — Tangier
  • Moroccan
  • Architecture Exterior — civic — courthouse
  • Architecture Exterior — civic — Palace of Justice
Object Number
1970.67
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1970.67

Artwork Description

Henry Ossawa Tanner traveled to Tangier in 1912, but it is unclear if he painted this scene there or in his Paris studio, using postcards of the city. The buildings in the background are the law courts, which once housed Morocco’s royal officials. The figures in the right side of the picture represent Mary and Joseph on the flight into Egypt, one of Tanner’s favorite Bible stories. His expressive brushwork and the blues and purples evoke not only an exotic, distant place, but the world of the spirit as well.