An Appreciation:
Robert Henri

 Robert Henri was an influential American artist at the tunr of the 19th century. He was one of the founders of the Ashcan School


Henri's early life reads more like a Western novel than an artist biography. Born Robert Henry Cozard on June 24, 1865 in Cinncinatti, Ohio, Robert's parents were Theresa Gatewood Cozad and John Jackson Cozad. His father was a real estate developer and a professional gambler who founded towns bearing the Cozad name in Ohio and Nebraska. A dispute with a rancher in Colorado led to a gunfight in which Cozad was the victor. However, the fight led to charges of manslaughter and although Cozad was eventually cleared of the charges, the family fled to Denver. Because of the ensuing scandal, the various family members changed their names with Robert replacing the Cozard name with a Gallic version of his middle name. His brother and he also had to pretend to be orphans who had been taken in by the family. The family moved first to New York City and then to Atlantic City, New Jersey.


In 1886, Henri began studies at the Pennsylvania Academy yf Fine Arts in Philadelphia. Two years later he journeyed to France where he studied at the Academie Julian and was admitted to the Ecole des Beaux Arts. Despite this somewhat conservative training, he also embraced Impressionism, which was becoming increasingly popular and respected. In 1891, Henri returned to Philadelphia and continued his studies at the Pennsylvania Academy.


By 1892, Henri was teaching art at the Philadelphia School of Design for Women, the first of a string of teaching positions Henri would hold in Philadelphia and in New York City.  Around the same time, artists and intellectuals began gathering at Henri's studio to show their work, engage in intelligent conversation and socialize.


Henri became disenchanted with Impressionism, which he now viewed as too conservative. Instead, he advocated a new approach to art that focused on depicting the less genteel side of modern life. The works recorded an impression but were often dark and more of a commentary on the harshness of existence than the impressions recorded by the French Impressionists. His ideas found favor with artists such as William Glackens and John Sloan and the Ashcan School of American art was born.


Henri's interest in modern life led him to do numerous portraits as well as city-scapes. In his portraits, he did not attempt to flatter the sitter but rather to make a realistic presentation. As result, his portrait painting was not especially lucrative.


In 1898, Henri married Linda Craige, who had been one of his students. They journeyed to France and lived there for two years. During this time, Henri submitted works to the conservative Paris Salon. One of his paintings was purchased by the French government.


Returning to the United States, Henri continued teaching. His students included several artists who would make a name for themselves in the years to follow such as Edward Hopper, George Bellows and Stuart Davis.


In 1905, Linda Henri died. Three years later, Henri married the cartoonist Marjorie Organ.


Elected to the National Academy of Design in 1906, Henri soon quarreled with his colleagues over the works selected for the Academy's 1907 exhibition. This inspired Henri to organize an exhibition featuring works by similarly-minded artists. Simply called “The Eight”, the exhibition included works by Glackens, John Sloan, George Luks, Everett Shin, Maurice Prendergast, Earnest Lawson and Arthur B. Davies in addition to Henri. Critically successful, it opened in New York City and traveled to other major U.S. cities.


In 1910, Henri and Sloan with the help of Walt Kuhn organized the Exhibition of Independent Artists, the first major exhibition in the United States with no jury and no prizes. It was well-attended but resulted in few sales.


The art world in the United States changed with the landmark Armory Exhibition in 1913. Major American artists including Henri participated. However, the exhibition was also the large scale introduction of European Modernism to American audiences. With the coming of abstraction, Henri's realistic style was increasingly viewed as passé.


Henri continued to work and teach. From 1913, he spent most summers in Ireland where he did a series of portraits of children. He also spent some summers in New Mexico and helped to develop the artists colony there. From 1915 to 1928, he taught at the Art Students League in New York City. In 1923, he published his influential book The Art Spirit.


In 1929, Henri suffered cardiac arrest as a result of prostate cancer.

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Above: Snow in New York.

Below: Cumulus Clouds, East River. 

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Above: The Blue Kimono.

​Below: Salome. 

Above: The Big Hat

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Artist appreciation - Robert Henri