An artwork on Galleree from Minneapolis Institute of Art.
About the artwork
Still-life with Flute and Times1877
Artist: William Michael Harnett
American, 1848 - 1892
still life with cream and blue tankard at left, folded "Times" newspaper dated 1877 at center, ivory and wood flute with bottom joint removed, pipe leaning on a blue box at right and several burned matchsticks; several areas of highly-raised impasto: matchsticks in LRC and LLC, highlights on pipe and tankard
11 5/8 × 15 11/16 in. (29.53 × 39.85 cm) (sight)
18 1/2 × 22 1/2 × 2 1/2 in. (46.99 × 57.15 × 6.35 cm) (outer frame)
Oil on canvas
Painting
United States
19th century
Bequest of Donald J. Lucker
In the heart of New York in 1886, a quiet storm brewed around a canvas. William Harnett, an artist born in Ireland, had just been ensnared by the long, grasping fingers of law. The scandal? A painting so extraordinary, so breathlessly lifelike, that it blurred the line between reality and art itself. It was a simple five-dollar bill, yet its presentation stirred a whirlwind of trouble, leading to charges of counterfeiting.
Picture the scene: the bustling streets of New York, where the echoes of horse-drawn carriages mixed with the clamor of voices. Against this backdrop, Harnett stood, bewildered and cornered, confronting the stern gaze of the police officers. “How could one waste such talent on trifles?” they scolded, their judgment stark against the swirling vibrancy of his intentions.
What they failed to grasp was the depth of Harnett's genius, the intricate dance he played with perception. As a master of trompe l’oeil—“to trick the eye”—he saw beyond mere representations. His work, "Still-life with Flute and Times," stood as a testimony to his skill, a piece that captivated with its realistic deception. The stoneware stein seemed to invite you to touch its cool surface, while the pipe bowl appeared to dangle precariously, its raised rim so finely detailed that you could nearly feel its fine contours.
Harnett’s meticulous layering of paint transformed simple objects into whispers of reality, making one question the very nature of vision. This was no mere still life; it was a riddle wrapped in color and craft, a moment suspended in time. And yet, in that moment of legal turmoil, a question loomed large: what is the role of art in society? As he stood in the clutches of the law, one could almost hear the echo of his brushstrokes challenging the world to see beyond what was merely skin deep. In Harnett’s eyes shimmered the indelible spirit of exploration, leaving us to ponder not just what we see, but how we interpret the beauty of our surroundings.
About the artist
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