The Hope for Bright Future

Thesis Statement: “The Banjo Lesson” is one of the best paintings of Henry Ossawa Tanner because
it shows African American’s life and their expectations for the future during the 19th century.
Henry Ossawa Tanner (1859-1937) was an American artist and the first African-American painter to
gain international acclaim. He spent much of his career in Paris, France, where Black artists had
greater opportunities. From his paintings, I have chosen “The Banjo Lesson” which left a great
impression on me. At a first glance, when we are looking at the painting, we see an old man who
had a long day of hard work, teaching his grandson how to play the Banjo. But, after looking into it,
we can see more details. When I am looking at the painting it seems the past and future are mixed.
On the left side, where is the old man, everything is mostly dark, only a tiny part is enlightened and
it makes us feel that light is coming from the window which seems to be moonlight in the dark
night. But the side of the boy, where he is playing the Banjo, is more enlightened and it seems to be
the sunlight because even the white tablecloth looks yellow. I think Henry O. Tanner wanted to
show both sides of African Americans' life with this painting. Although they were in a hard
situation, they never lost their hope for the future: the hope that the younger generation would be
free from slavery and that African Americans’ life would be full of bright lights in the future.
Even now, when there is no slavery, African Americans do not feel safe and every day they are
facing discrimination but, again, as, in the past, they do not lose their hope that one beautiful day
everything would be changed, they will live without facing problems of race and ethnicity and will
have bright life in future.