"The Old Violin," 1886, William Michael Harnett

National Gallery of Art, Washington — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 19:29:22 +0000

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In this video from the Children’s Video Tour, art lovers of all ages can explore William Michael Harnett’s work, “The Old Violin,” one of the artist’s most famous paintings. The best-known and most influential still-life painter in America during the last quarter of the 19th century, Harnett was a master of the trompe-l’oeil style of painting—a French phrase that means “fool the eye.” He painted objects life-size, and used such precise detail, exact colors, and convincing texture, that appearance seems like reality. On view in the West Building, Main Floor, Gallery 69A.

ArtBabble: William Michael Harnett

"The Old Violin," 1886, William Michael Harnett