Challenge Ten - Robert Henri and the Ashcan School

Boy with a Green Cap (aka: Chico)

by Robert Henri

Since we are reading The Art Spirit by Robert Henri this month, it seemed fitting to devote a challenge to him and his later influence - The Ashcan School.

Henri travel to Paris in 1886 to study traditional academic art under the guidance of William-Adolphe Bouguereau. While there, he also embraced Impressionism helping him create a classic style with looser brush work as depicted in his portrait work. But, Henri wanted more than the classical, academic depictions of art, he also felt that portraits should reveal the "character" of the person being painting.  (See youtube video: Art Treasures of Nebraska - Robert Henri)

Don't stop to paint the material, but push on to give the spirit. ~Robert Henri

Henri returned to Philadelphia and began teaching in 1892. He began to attract a group of followers that would meet to discuss both art and culture. Henri began to rebel against Impressionism as being too romanticized. He felt that art should be more "real", describing the depictions of every day life..."akin to journalism".  See Robert Hughes American Visions - Episode 5 (watch time: 00:54 to 04:42).




When artists from Henri's circle were reject in the National Academy of Design's 1907 Exhibition, he organized a show of his own in 1908 that included a group known as "The Eight": Arthur Davies, Robert Henri, William Glackens, Ernest Lawson, George Luks, Maurice Prendergast, John Sloan and Everett Shinn.It was revolutionary for it's subject, gritty urban scenes and "art for life's sake". Their work would later be characterized as The Ashcan School and defined as a realist artistic movement. 


This month's challenge is to be inspired by the work and philosophy of Robert Henri. You might choose to copy one his works or or be inspired to paint a dirty urban scene like artists from the Ashcan School movement.  UPDATE: This challenge will be due on February 28th.

We will also continue to read from The Art Spirit until the end of Challenge Ten, so there is plenty of time to join in if you haven't started.

We had nice variety of entries for Challenge Nine...go check them out if you haven't already and, as always, thank you for joining me on my art journey.