Robert Henri was born on June 24 or 25 in 1865. He founded the Ashcan School of American realism, a mission of which was to depict the grittiness of urban life, much in the same way as muckraking journalism did. Henri was an influential teacher, and his students included George Bellows and Edward Hopper. Despite his interest in the urban landscape, Henri is best known for his portraits. “Wee Maureen” is a portrait of a child in Dooagh, an Irish village Henri visited annually. The bold brushwork and thick application of paint are hallmarks of his works, and this portrait exemplifies the empathy Henri shows for his subjects. Visit the gallery today from noon until 4, and see how Henri’s teachings have influenced today’s artists.
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