Description
Robert Henri painted Himself and Herself (1924.911) (Irish terms of endearment for a husband and wife) during a summer trip to Ireland; the canvases depict the fisherman Johnnie Cummings and his wife, Biddy. The rich hues and thick, lush paint add depth to the works, while the figures’ elusive expressions and informal poses give them a brusque, forthright quality. Each portrait reveals a distinctive character and, according to Henri, was meant to be a dynamic example of “humanity in the making, in the living.”
Provenance
Macbeth Gallery, New York; Mr. and Mrs. Paul Schulze, by 1924; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1924.
Accession Number
13745
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
81.9 × 66.4 cm (32 1/4 × 26 1/8 in.)
Classification
Painting
Credit Line
Walter H. Schulze Memorial Collection
Background & Context
Background Story
"Himself" is a 1913 oil on canvas self-portrait by Robert Henri that captures the American realist at the height of his powers and reputation, the image showing the artist with the same bold brushwork and psychological directness that he brought to his portraits of boxers, actresses, and street characters. The composition is a head-and-shoulders portrait, the artist's face emerging from a dark background with the dramatic lighting that Henri had learned from his study of Hals and Velázquez and that he adapted to the more informal, democratic subjects of American life. The palette is warm and earthy—browns, ochres, and the ruddy tones of the artist's complexion—creating an image of robust physical health and creative energy that reflects Henri's position as the charismatic leader of the Ashcan School and the teacher of a generation of American artists. The 1913 date places this work in the same year as the Armory Show, the exhibition that introduced European modernism to American audiences and that Henri both supported and resisted, welcoming the challenge to academic convention while maintaining his commitment to representation and human character. Art historians have compared this self-portrait to the painted self-images of Eakins and Chase, noting that Henri's treatment is more vigorous, less introspective than these predecessors, the artist presenting himself as a man of action and influence rather than a solitary thinker. The work also demonstrates Henri's mastery of the alla prima technique: the paint is applied wet-on-wet, the strokes visible and energetic, creating a surface that feels alive with the physical presence of the artist.
Cultural Impact
This 1913 alla-prima self-portrait presented Ashcan School charismatic leadership through wet-on-wet robust energy, using Hals-Velázquez dramatic lighting to make democratic realist vitality visible on the brink of Armory Show modernism.
Why It Matters
It matters because Henri painted himself like he was a boxer ready for a fight—proving that even a teacher could be a warrior if the brush was bold enough.
