At the Opera
1904
Robert Henri, a leader of the American Realist movement and the Ashcan School, turns his gaze to the theater in this energetic 1904 sketch. Three figures lean over a balcony railing, caught in a moment of social observation rather than watching the stage. The figure on the right peers through opera glasses, highlighting the act of looking itself—a favorite theme for Henri who loved capturing modern life. The rapid, scratchy strokes suggest the artist was working quickly, perhaps capturing the scene live from the audience, giving the drawing a wonderful sense of immediacy.
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