LIFE AND WORKS

 Born In Ireland  Moved to Philadelphia as a child with family  Studied Art at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts & later at the National Academy of Design & Cooper Union at New York.  Initially, he made his living making engravings on fine silver.  He was a STILL LIFE PAINTER  He used TROMPE L’OEIL as his painting technique.  He was an amateur musician and played flute.  He used several musical instruments and everyday items as props in his paintings.  He knew how to read music and the music in his paintings can actually be played.  He was extremely meticulous and detailed, with a keen sense of design and clarity of vision.  Winslow Homer & La Farge were Harnett’s American contemporaries.

 Trompe L’oeil (tromp’ low-ee) is French for “fool of the eye.  A trompe-l’oeil painting looks so realistic that it appears as though real objects are on the surface of the canvas or any background medium.  This technique was used in still life paintings as early as 16 th century.  This was popular with the public, but the art critics had mixed reactions to it.  Mainstream art critics hated this work as mere imitation, just a trick.  Therefore, painters often displayed their works in saloons, department stores and trade shows. Trompe L’oeil of a French Courtyard

Julian Beever – Chalk on Pavement - Tokyo A sculptural mosaic in the form of a carpet thrown over marble steps Fresco with Trompe l'oeil Andrea Pozzo Andrea Pozzo Escaping Criticism, 1874, Pere Borrell del Caso, oil on canvas

 Harnett created this painting just 4 years before he died.  Props that he used for this painting are items that were very dear to his heart.  Music is from Verdi’s Rigoletto  Books are from Shakespeare, Hamlet, Troilus and Cressida.  This is an oil painting on wood.  It is hanging in the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.

Still life violin and music After the Hunt Memento Mori -To This Favour

Just Dessert, 1891 – Oil on Canvas For Sunday's Dinner, 1888 – Oil on canvas

Click the above link to direct you to the various works of Harnett Click the above link to direct you to “Attention Company” jigsaw puzzle. Click the above link to direct you to “Still Life: Violin and Music” jigsaw puzzle.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME! HAVE FUN MAKING GREAT WORKS OF ART.