Biography of william michael harnett old models
William michael harnett biography!
William Michael Harnett (August 10, – October 29, ) was an Irish-American painter known for his trompe l'oeil still lifes of ordinary objects.
Early life
Harnett was born in Clonakilty, County Cork, Ireland during the time of the potato famine.
Shortly after his birth his family emigrated to America, settling in Philadelphia.
Biography of william michael harnett old models
Becoming a United States citizen in , he made a living as a young man by engraving designs on table silver, while also taking night classes at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and later, in New York, at Cooper Union and at the National Academy of Design.
His first known oil painting, a still life, dates from
Work
The style of trompe l'oeil painting that Harnett developed was distinctive and inspired many imitators,[1] but it was not without precedent. A number of 17th century Dutch painters, Pieter Claesz for instance, had specialized in tabletop still life of astonishing verisimilitude.
Raphaelle Peale, working in Philadelphia in the early 19th c