Description
Robert Henri painted Himself (1924.912) and Herself (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, to 1924; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1924.
Accession Number
13742
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
81.3 × 66 cm (32 × 26 in.)
Classification
Painting
Credit Line
Walter H. Schulze Memorial Collection
Background & Context
Background Story
Robert Henris Herself from 1913 is an oil painting that exemplifies the leader of the Ashcan School painters approach to portraiture, in which the physical presence and personality of the sitter are rendered with the directness and vitality that distinguish his best work. Henri, who was the spiritual leader of the group of painters known as The Eight and the most influential art teacher in America in the early 20th century, developed a philosophy of art that emphasized the expression of personal feeling and the celebration of individuality over academic convention and commercial success. The title Herself, with its emphasis on the essential identity of the sitter rather than her social role or family connections, reflects Henris belief that a portrait should capture the unique personality of the individual rather than the conventions of social representation. The oil on canvas medium, applied with the broad, confident brushstrokes that Henris teaching advocated, creates a surface that vibrates with the energy of the encounter between artist and sitter, in which the physical act of painting becomes a form of personal expression that is as important as the likeness it produces. The year 1913 places this painting in the period when Henri was exhibiting at the Armory Show and producing some of his most accomplished portraits, and the works energetic brushwork and direct characterization reflect the philosophy that he articulated in his book The Art Spirit.
Cultural Impact
Henris portraits are significant contributions to the tradition of American portraiture, and Herself exemplifies the philosophy of personal expression and individuality that he taught to a generation of American artists. The painting influenced the development of American realist portraiture and the broader tradition of art that prioritizes personal expression over academic convention.
Why It Matters
A 1913 oil portrait by Henri titled Herself, capturing the essential identity of the sitter with broad confident brushwork and direct characterization that reflects his philosophy of personal expression and the celebration of individuality articulated in The Art Spirit.
