Robert Henri, Painter
1931
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
etching in black
Dimensions
plate: 35.2 x 27.6 cm (13 7/8 x 10 7/8 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.7967
Art Historical Context
In the National Gallery of Art's Rosenwald Collection, John Sloan's 1931 etchingRobert Henri, Painter* the likeness of his mentor and fellow artist Robert Henri with striking intimacy. Measuring 35.2 x 27.6 cm on the plate this black-ink print exemplifies Sloan's mastery of etching, an intaglio technique where acid etches intricate lines into a metal plate allowing for rich tonal contrasts and expressive detail. The medium's precision suits portraiture, rendering Henri's thoughtful gaze and rugged features in a way that feels both immediate and timeless. Sloan and Henri were central figures i...
About the Artist
John Sloan
John French Sloan was born on August 2, 1871, in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Philadelphia, where he taught himself to draw largely through self-study and reproductions before taking evening classes at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts under Thomas Anshutz around 1892. That same year he met the painter Robert Henri, who became his closest friend and most influential mentor, enc...