Palace of Justice, Tangier
Henry Ossawa Tanner
ca. 1912-1913
Medium
Painting
Classification
Painting
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John Baxter
Accession Number
1970.67
Tags
Palace of JusticecourthouseTangierstreetFigure groupMoroccan
About this artwork
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 Moroccoâs royal officials. The figures in the right side of the picture represent Mary and Joseph on the flight into Egypt, one of Tannerâs favorite Bible stories. His expressive brushwork and the blues and purples evoke not only an exotic, distant place, but the world of th...