Gateway, Tangier
c.1912
Step into the sun-drenched streets of Morocco through Henry Ossawa Tanner's loose, dreamy brushstrokes. Painted around 1912 during his travels, this scene captures a quiet moment by a towering green door, where a solitary figure in flowing white robes seems to blend right into the sun-bleached walls. Tanner, the first African American artist to gain international acclaim, often sought out these exotic locales to escape the racial prejudice he faced back home in the United States. The hazy, pastel colors make you feel the heat of the North African sun, turning a simple street corner into a shimmering, atmospheric escape.