The artwork titled “Study of a Negro Man” was created in 1893 by the eminent artist Henry Ossawa Tanner. Falling under the Realism movement, it is a sketch and study genre of artwork. The piece exemplifies Tanner’s dedication to lifelike detail and his focus on capturing the human form with precision and sensitivity.
The artwork depicts a male figure standing in a partially sideways pose. The subject is rendered with meticulous attention to anatomical accuracy, displaying the musculature and contours of the body with an almost sculptural quality. Tanner employs a monochromatic palette with nuanced shading to highlight the figure’s form and depth. The man’s facial expression, coupled with his posture, imparts a sense of contemplation or introspection, demonstrating Tanner’s skill in conveying emotion and character through his art. The sketch is both a tribute to the human physique and a profound study of the individual’s presence and essence.