Henry Ossawa TannerAmerican, 1859–1937Study for the Young Sabot Maker
Can I see it?
Yes, on view now
Where is “Study for the Young Sabot Maker” now? Smithsonian American Art Museum, Luce Foundation Center, 3rd Floor, 10B, Washington, D.C. Yes, on view now. Checked September 25, 2026.
Washington, D.C., United States
RoomLuce Foundation Center, 3rd Floor, 10B
Open now· until 7:00 PM
On public display.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the painting
After Henry Ossawa Tanner moved to France in 1891, he spent a few summers in Pont-Aven and Concarneau, where wooden shoes called sabots were common. This study shows a young student learning the trade from his teacher, a frequent theme in Tanner’s early work. In the final painting the young sabot-maker is not French but African American, reflecting Tanner’s own racial heritage. The Young Sabot Maker was his second painting to be accepted by the annual Paris exhibition, a coveted sign of official recognition from the French art establishment.
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Details
- Accession number
- 1983.95.208
What it shows
In the catalog
Sources
- Smithsonian American Art Museum
- Image: Smithsonian American Art Museum — CC0
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