Crossing The Atlantic (Return Home)
1894
Henry Ossawa Tanner captures the moody, atmospheric journey of a steamship crossing the ocean in this 1894 watercolor. A dark plume of smoke billows from an unseen vessel, casting a long, shadowy reflection across the choppy, teal-green waters. Painted shortly after Tanner visited the United States, the title 'Return Home' likely refers to his trip back to Paris, where he found freedom from the racial prejudice he faced in America. The loose, expressive washes of blue and gray perfectly evoke the feeling of being adrift on a vast, open sea.
- Technique
- Watercolor
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