Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 200 works by Henry Ossawa Tanner in our catalogue
In short
To the gallery's eye, Henry Ossawa Tanner's most famous painting is The Pilgrims of Emmaus (1905), whose original hangs in the Musée d'Orsay, Paris. The Resurrection of Lazarus (1896) and Interior of a Mosque, Cairo (1897) complete the trio every eye recognises. Of the 200 works by Henry Ossawa Tanner in our catalog, the gallery presents the 100 most famous below, each original with its year, its museum and what makes it unique.
In the quiet, amber glow of a setting sun, Henry Ossawa Tanner captures a moment that transcends the boundaries of time and space. The Pilgrims of Emmaus, painted in 1905, is far more than a mere biblical illustration; it is a profound spiritual experience rendered in oil on canvas. As the viewer approaches this masterpiece, they are immediately drawn into an intimate circle of fellowship. The scene depicts Jesus Christ…
In the quiet, somber depths of a darkened forest, a miracle unfolds that transcends the boundaries of time and mortality. Henry Ossawa Tanner’s 1896 masterpiece, The Resurrection of Lazarus, is far more than a mere biblical illustration; it is a profound meditation on the delicate tension between grief and hope. As viewers approach this evocative oil on canvas, they are immediately enveloped by an atmosphere of heavy mourning. The composition…
Henry Ossawa Tanner's "Interior of a Mosque, Cairo," painted in 1897, is more than just a depiction of an Islamic prayer space; it’s a profound meditation on faith, community, and the interplay of light and shadow. This remarkable oil-on-canvas work, currently residing within the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, offers a rare glimpse into the heart of 19th-century Cairo – a city brimming with cultural richness and spiritual significance.…
In the quiet, evocative strokes of Henry Ossawa Tanner’s The House of Joan of Arc (Domrémy), we are transported to a moment where the weight of history meets the stillness of a provincial afternoon. Created in 1918, this profound oil on panel serves as more than just a depiction of a structure; it is a soulful meditation on origins and the enduring spirit of a legend. The painting captures the…
The scene unfolds within the shadows of the Garden of Gethsemane, a nocturnal setting defined by deep darkness and the quietude of the night. At the center of the composition, Jesus remains awake, his presence marked by a sense of profound solitude and prayerful intensity. He is flanked by two disciples who have succumbed to sleep, their forms resting heavily in the gloom. A single tree rises in the background,…
The Good Shepherd is an oil on canvas work by Henry Ossawa Tanner. Created in 1922, this painting offers a quiet meditation on the connection between humanity and the natural world. It is currently held within the collection of the Newark Museum in the United States.
A somber atmosphere defines this oil on canvas, where deep shadows and low-key lighting create a sense of quietude. The composition is dominated by dark blues, blacks, and earthy browns, creating a nocturnal setting that feels both heavy and intimate. Light acts as the primary narrative force, emanating from two distinct sources: a warm, glowing light within a doorway on the right and a small, intense point of light near…
A public space near the water comes alive in this 1900 depiction of leisure and movement. Figures populate a sidewalk, some walking with purpose while others navigate the space on bicycles. The composition captures a transient moment of daily life, where the presence of a boat and scattered umbrellas suggests a seaside or riverfront setting. Light and shadow define the interaction between the pedestrians and the architecture of the public…
The painting titled Two Disciples at the Tomb was created by Henry Ossawa Tanner in 1905. It captures a specific biblical scene: the Resurrection of Christ. Within the frame, the disciples Peter and John stand before the empty tomb. The air in the work feels heavy with the weight of mourning and the quiet pulse of faith. It is a moment of profound stillness.
Mary (also known as La Sainte-Marie) - A Portrait of Contemplation Subject: The artwork portrays Mary, traditionally understood as the Virgin Mary, seated in a simple interior setting. It's not a depiction of a joyous or celebratory moment but rather one of quiet contemplation and perhaps sorrow. Style: Henry Ossawa Tanner masterfully employs a realistic style, characterized by meticulous attention to detail and a keen observation of light and shadow.…
Mountain Landscape, Highlands, North Carolina1889
12
LE CHRIST ET SES DISCIPLES SUR LA ROUTE DE BETHANIE
13
The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah1928 · High Museum of Art
14
Untitled (Nocturnal Landscape)1901 · Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art
15
The Witch Hunt1882
16
Sister Sarah1881
17
Study of a Negro Man1891
18
Spinning By Firelight1894
19
Study of an Arab, (painting)1897
20
Portrait of the Artist's Mother1897 · Philadelphia Museum of Art
21
Study for the Young Sabot Maker1893
22
Christ at the Home of Mary and Martha, (painting)1905
23
The Savior, (painting)1905
24
Abraham's Oak1905
25
Gateway Tangier1910
26
Street in Tangier1910 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
27
Portrait of Booker T. Washington1917
28
The Good Shepherd1917 · Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
29
Fishermen at Sea, (painting)1913
30
Fishermen's Return1926
31
The Good Shepherd1930
32
Two Disciples at the Tomb1905 · Art Institute of Chicago
33
Haystacks1930 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
34
The Young Sabot Maker1895 · Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
35
Return of the Holy Women1904
36
Head of a Jew in Palestine1899 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
37
Fauna1878
38
Study for The Jews' Wailing Place1897 · Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art
39
Le Touquet1910
40
Study for The Young Sabot Maker1894
41
Palace of Justice, Tangier1912
42
Study for The Annunciation1898
43
Mary1914 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
44
The Good Shepherd1917
45
The Seine1902 · National Gallery of Art
46
War Scene, Etaples, France1914
47
Mountain Landscape, Highlands, North Carolina1889 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
48
Christ at the Home of Mary and Martha1905
49
The Good Shepherd (Atlas Mountains, Morocco)1930 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
50
Miraculous Haul of Fishes1913 · National Academy of Design
51
Seascape - Jetty1876
52
Seascape - Jetty1876
53
Harbor Scene1876
54
The Laundress1880
55
Sand Dunes at Sunset, Atlantic City1885
56
Ship in a Storm1879
57
Study for Androcles1885
58
Lion Licking Its Paw1886
59
Wynkoop House, Old Haarlem1888 · New Britain Museum of American Art
60
Concarneau1891
61
Sand Dunes at Sunset, Atlantic City1886
62
Untitled Landscape1889
63
Georgia Landscape1889
64
Mountain Landscape, Highlands, North Carolina1889
65
Study for The Bagpipe Lesson1892
66
Horse and Two Dogs in a Landscape1891
67
Highlands, N.C1889 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
68
Study for the Young Sabot Maker1895 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
69
Study for the Bagpipe Lesson1892 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
70
Kansas City, Kansas1898 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
71
The Annunciation to the Shepherds1895
72
Lion Drinking1897
73
Florida1894
74
Lions in the Desert1897
75
View of the Seine Looking toward Notre Dame1896
76
A Mosque in Cairo1897
77
Spinning by Firelight - The Boyhood of George Washington Gray1894 · Yale University Art Gallery
78
A View in Palestine1898
79
Edge of the Forest1893
80
Florida1894
81
Crossing the Atlantic (Return Home)1894 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
82
And He Disappeared out of Their Sight1898 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
83
Study for the Annunciation1898 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
84
Untitled1901 · El Paso Museum of Art
85
Job and His Three Friends1904
86
The Good Shepherd1902 · Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University
87
Night1905
88
The Savior1905 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
89
Study for Nicodemus Visiting Jesus1899
90
Head of a Jew in Palestine1899
91
Gateway, Tangier1910 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
92
The Holy Family1909 · Muskegon Museum of Art
93
Midday, Tangiers1910
94
The Flight into Egypt1907 · Cincinnati Art Museum
95
Le Tonquet, (painting)
96
In Constantine1908
97
Rebecca (Another Subject, Unfinished, on Reverse), (painting)
98
Fishermen's Devotions, Étaples1910
99
Christ and His Desciples on the Sea of Galilee1910
100
Christ Learning to Read1910
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 8 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Henry Ossawa Tanner | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Smithsonian American Art Museum |
Washington, D.C. | 45 | Street in Tangier, Haystacks, Head of a Jew in Palestine |
 Musée d'Orsay |
Paris | 4 | The Pilgrims of Emmaus, The Resurrection of Lazarus |
 Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art |
Ithaca | 2 | Return of the Fisherman, Untitled (Nocturnal Landscape) |
 Philadelphia Museum of Art |
Philadelphia | 4 | Portrait of the Artist's Mother |
 High Museum of Art |
Atlanta | 3 | The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah |
 Museum of Fine Arts |
Boston | 2 | Interior of a Mosque, Cairo |
 National Gallery of Art |
Washington | 2 | The Seine |
 Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art |
Bentonville | 1 | The Good Shepherd |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
Henry Ossawa Tanner’s Fauna, painted in 1878, transports the viewer into a moment suspended in time—a quiet communion within a sun-dappled wood. This masterful depiction is far more than a mere study of wildlife; it is an eloquent meditation on connection and natural grace. The composition centers around two deer, positioned with exquisite care: one standing gracefully to the left, its form echoing stillness, while its companion rests or stands…
Mountain Landscape, Highlands, North Carolina is a watercolor painting created by the artist Henry Ossawa Tanner. The work is dated 1889. This piece focuses on a mountain landscape and the natural environment, specifically depicting a scene from North Carolina. The subject matter centers on the topography of the highlands, presenting a view of the terrain and its vegetation.
In the quiet, somber depths of a darkened forest, a miracle unfolds that transcends the boundaries of time and mortality. Henry Ossawa Tanner’s 1896 masterpiece, The Resurrection of Lazarus, is far more than a mere biblical illustration; it is a profound meditation on the delicate tension between grief and hope. As viewers approach this evocative oil on canvas, they are immediately enveloped by an atmosphere of heavy mourning. The composition…
In the quiet, amber glow of a setting sun, Henry Ossawa Tanner captures a moment that transcends the boundaries of time and space. The Pilgrims of Emmaus, painted in 1905, is far more than a mere biblical illustration; it is a profound spiritual experience rendered in oil on canvas. As the viewer approaches this masterpiece, they are immediately drawn into an intimate circle of fellowship. The scene depicts Jesus Christ…
In the quiet, evocative strokes of Henry Ossawa Tanner’s The House of Joan of Arc (Domrémy), we are transported to a moment where the weight of history meets the stillness of a provincial afternoon. Created in 1918, this profound oil on panel serves as more than just a depiction of a structure; it is a soulful meditation on origins and the enduring spirit of a legend. The painting captures the…
The scene unfolds within the shadows of the Garden of Gethsemane, a nocturnal setting defined by deep darkness and the quietude of the night. At the center of the composition, Jesus remains awake, his presence marked by a sense of profound solitude and prayerful intensity. He is flanked by two disciples who have succumbed to sleep, their forms resting heavily in the gloom. A single tree rises in the background,…
The sun hangs low, casting a soft, diffused light across a vast and rolling landscape. In this tranquil scene, a shepherd stands amidst a flock of sheep, his presence a calm anchor in the wide, hilly terrain. The air feels heavy with a sense of peace, as if the world has paused to breathe. Earthy tones of sage green, ochre, and dusty brown coat the ground, while pale blues stretch…
The Pilgrims of Emmaus (1905), Musée d'Orsay, Paris. The Resurrection of Lazarus (1896) and Interior of a Mosque, Cairo (1897) come next.
46 years old: The Pilgrims of Emmaus dates from 1905, and Henry Ossawa Tanner was born in 1859.
The Pilgrims of Emmaus, The Resurrection of Lazarus, Interior of a Mosque, Cairo, The House of Joan of Arc (Domrémy), The Sleeping Disciples (also known as Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane), The Good Shepherd, Return of the Fisherman, The Man Who Rented Boats, Two Disciples at the Tomb and Mary (also known as La Sainte-Marie). The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 200 works by Henry Ossawa Tanner, dated from 1876 to 1930.
Mostly in Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington, D.C.), Musée d'Orsay (Paris) and Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art (Ithaca). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1890s: 34 of the 100 works on this page were made then, The Resurrection of Lazarus among them.
On this page, the earliest is Seascape - Jetty (1876) and the latest The Good Shepherd (1930).
Landscape (11), Portrait (10) and Man (9), across the 100 works on this page.
Oil On Canvas, for 36 of the 100 works on this page.
Impressionism, judging by the originals on this page.
Street in Tangier, Haystacks and Head of a Jew in Palestine: the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C. holds 15 of the works on this page.
