Untitled (Still Life), c. 1880s
Oil on panel
8 1/2 x 12 7/8 inches
Biography
Thomas Anshutz, born in Newport, Kentucky, studied under Thomas Eakins at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Eventually Anshutz became an instructor himself, and co-founded the Darby School of Art, a summer artists’ school. His mature style is characterized by skilled rendering of richly modeled forms and an abiding interest in the subjects he depicted, such as Ironworkers: Noontime (1880). Ironworkers is perhaps Anshutz’s most influential composition, as it sparked the Realist movement that would culminate in the focus on scenes of city life characteristic of the Ash Can School. Later in his career, Anshutz developed a keen interest in watercolor, and used it to capture the atmospheric delicacy of seascapes. During his lifetime, Anshutz was frequently honored and exhibited regularly at the Pennsylvania Academy and the National Academy of Design. One of his greatest contributions, however, was his influence as a teacher. Anshutz enriched American art by mentoring a generation of artists, including Robert Henri and Charles Demuth.
