Henry Ossawa Tanner was the first African American artist to gain international acclaim. He painted in the years after the Civil War and confronted racism at most turns in this country. He moved to Paris to study art in 1891 and found relative freedom from blatant racism there. He made occasional visits to the United States through the years but lived the rest of his life in France. He died in Paris in 1937.

Tanner was the first to paint actual scenes of African American life. He painted in realism and impressionism to challenge the African American stereotypes of his day. In this piece painted twenty-four years after slavery, he challenges the idea of African American musicians as minstrels sharing comic entertainment with the white culture by picturing this time of tender sharing.

In The Banjo Lesson, Tanner joins a humble setting with rich intergenerational love and purpose. This piece takes our eyes around the impoverished room as it also leads our hearts to the truth that we all want the same thing for our children, grandchildren, every child – happiness. We all want to pass on what we have learned toward this hope. We want them to begin where we are ending as we are dedicated to believing in their way forward.

We all want the same thing for our children. We pray for God’s help to share well. May we remember often this grandfather caught in difficult times, guiding these small hands to the beauty and accomplishment of music from his past to his grandson’s future. Amen.

In gratitude, faith and hope,

Sandy Prouty
Minister of Children and Families
Montview Church