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Robert HenriAmerican realist artist and teacher
Date of Birth: 24.06.1865
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Robert Henri: Realist Painter and Art Educator
- Early Life and Education
- Ashcan School and Artistic Influences
- Art Education and Legacy
- Later Career and Exhibitions
Robert Henri: Realist Painter and Art Educator
Robert Henri, an American realist painter, was born into a family of real estate and land developers. His father, John Jackson Cozad, founded the town of Cozadale in Ohio in 1871 and Cozad in Nebraska in 1873. In 1883, the Cozad family relocated to New York and then Atlantic City.
Early Life and Education
In 1886, Henri enrolled at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. In 1888, he traveled to Paris and studied at the Académie Julian and the École des Beaux-Arts from 1889 to 1891.
Ashcan School and Artistic Influences
Upon returning to Pennsylvania in 1891, Henri joined The Eight, an art group that rebelled against official, academic art. In 1908, The Eight joined with other artists to form the "Ashcan School," known for its depictions of everyday life and urban scenes. Henri became a leading exponent of the group, whose notable members included Stuart Davis, Arthur Garfield Dove, and Joseph Stella.
Art Education and Legacy
From 1909 to 1912, Henri taught at the New York School of Art before opening his own art school. Among his influential students were George Bellows, Rockwell Kent, Edward Hopper, and Norman Raeben (son of Sholem Aleichem).
Henri was also a respected art educator. His students compiled Henri's sayings and insights into the book "The Art Spirit," which filmmaker David Lynch has called his "artistic bible."
Later Career and Exhibitions
In 1913, Henri participated in the infamous Armory Show. From 1915 to 1928, he taught at the Art Students League in New York. Henri's work remains an enduring influence on American realism and art education.
