Harnett, William

Harnett, William (Michael)

(born Aug. 10, 1848, Clonakilty, Ire.—died Oct. 29, 1892, New York, N.Y., U.S.) Irish-born U.S. still-life painter. Brought to Philadelphia as a child, he was trained as an engraver and soon developed outstanding skill in trompe l'oeil painting. While traveling in Europe he painted his best-known work, After the Hunt (1885). In 1886 he settled in New York City. His work, popular with the public, was generally dismissed by critics. After a long period of disrepute, his works again were appreciated and sought after when mid-20th-century critics recognized Harnett's outstanding skill at abstract composition.

---

Harnett, William (Michael) (1848–92) painter; born in Clonakilty, Ireland. He came to America as a child, moved to New York (1871), was an engraver until 1874, and then devoted himself to still life painting. His realistic work, such as his After the Hunt (1885), prompted many imitators who worked in the "trompe l'oeil" tradition, a photographic-like depiction of objects.