Perkins Harnly

Key facts

Lived

1901–1986, American

Movement

• Realism

1. 1901Born on 14 October on a cattle ranch in Ogallala, Nebraska. His family later moved to Lincoln, where living next to the Lyric Theatre sparked a lifelong fascination with set design and perspective.
2. 1901Born in Ogallala, Nebraska.
3. 1928At 27, moved to New York City after six years in Los Angeles. He began painting the meticulous watercolours of Victorian interiors for which he became known.
4. 1928At 27, arrived in New York City where he began painting the watercolours of Victorian interiors for which he became best known. His meticulous, slightly satirical renderings captured overblown nineteenth-century decor.
5. 1933At 32, held his first exhibition at the Julian Levy Gallery in New York. His work was subsequently included in the annuals of the Whitney Museum of American Art.
6. 1935At 34, joined the WPA Federal Art Project, and by 1938 was working for the Index of American Design. He completed 81 watercolour renderings of Victorian interiors for the programme.
7. 1936At 35, worked for the Index of American Design under the WPA Federal Art Project in Washington. He produced 81 plates documenting Victorian interiors, each requiring 200 to 400 hours of labour.
8. 1981At 80, the Smithsonian American Art Museum presented a solo exhibition of his work. An oral history interview recorded that year preserves his account of the WPA years.
9. 1986Died at 85 in California, where he had settled at the Culver Hotel. His WPA watercolours remain in the National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian collections.

• What is Perkins Harnly known for?+

  Perkins Harnly is known for his work as a folk artist and documentary painter. He documented American folk and decorative arts while working for the WPA's Index of American Design.
• What is Perkins Harnly's most famous work?+

  It is difficult to name Perkins Harnly's single "most famous" work, as his output is not as widely documented as that of some other artists. He is best known for his contributions to the American trompe l'oeil (fool-the-eye) still-life tradition. Works by Harnly often depict everyday objects, such as musical instruments, books, and newspapers, rendered with great realism. These paintings invite close inspection, and they sometimes include visual jokes or hidden details. Harnett's paintings from 1888 show that he was trying to keep a record of his works. Photographs of three small mug-and-pipe pictures bear notations in Arabic numerals, each with a line drawn under it and the figure 88 beneath. The numeral above the line is always much bigger than the 88 below. The same sort of thing appears on the backs of some of the paintings themselves.
• What should I know about Perkins Harnly's prints?+

  When considering Perkins Harnly's prints, it's useful to understand some basic print terminology. A 'vintage print' is made around the same time as the negative. A 'period print' is made within approximately 10 to 15 years of the original shooting. Anything printed later is generally termed an 'old print', as opposed to a 'modern print', which is a recent print from the original negative. An 'original print' is made by the artist or under their direct supervision. A 'facsimile' is a print made by rephotographing a print or using the original negative, matching the original's print base and processing as closely as possible. Original prints, such as woodcuts, engravings, or lithographs, are produced by hand by the artist; the work is created specifically to be a print. Each print in a limited edition should be numbered (for example, 35/100), with the first number indicating the print's sequence and the second showing the total edition size. Artists sometimes hold back a percentage as artist's proofs, marked 'AP'. Offset reproductions, also known as posters, are produced by photochemical means. Giclée prints are inkjet fine art prints that are gaining popularity.
• What style or movement did Perkins Harnly belong to?+

  Perkins Harnly is associated with trompe l'oeil, a style of still-life painting that aims to deceive the viewer into thinking that the painted objects are real. This approach was popular in the late 19th century, and Harnly's work fits within this tradition. Trompe l'oeil paintings often depict everyday objects, such as letters, books, and musical instruments, with a high degree of realism. Artists like William Harnett, active in Philadelphia and New York, were masters of this technique. Harnett's paintings were so convincing that viewers sometimes tried to touch or even remove the painted objects. John Haberle is another artist associated with trompe l'oeil. Harnly's inclusion in this movement places him among artists who prioritised illusionism and technical skill to create visually deceptive works.
• What techniques or materials did Perkins Harnly use?+

  Information on Perkins Harnly's specific techniques and materials is scarce. However, some sources discuss the materials and methods used by other artists during similar periods. Resin casting involved stringent tolerances when suspending colour. The mold itself could become a transparent frame on a white formica reflecting surface. This system allowed for direct analysis of each colour as it was incrementally added. Paul Klee used oil on cardboard mounted on wood, oil on plaster-coated gauze on cardboard, oil on canvas mounted on cardboard, oil on canvas coated with white tempera mounted on wood, and even pastel, watercolour and oil on cotton, damask and silk mounted on cardboard. J.M.W. Turner developed his watercolour techniques before using oil paint. He employed transparent washes over white paper, reserving highlights. Greens were achieved by mixing washes of brown and blue. Turner also used white primings for many of his oils. Absorbent surfaces allowed him to rapidly develop compositions.
• Where can I see Perkins Harnly's work?+

  Perkins Harnly's works can be viewed in several museums. In the United States, these include the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art (Winter Park, Florida), the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Museum of Modern Art (New York), the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Richmond), and the Wolfsonian at Florida International University (Miami Beach). In Canada, his work is held at the Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto). In the United Kingdom, you can find Harnly at the Bakelite Museum (Williton), the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, the Geffrye Museum (London), the Manchester Art Gallery, the National Museums of Scotland, and the Victoria & Albert Museum (London).
• Where was Perkins Harnly from?+

  Perkins Harnly was born in Addison, Iowa, on 27 January 1901. He was the son of Dr Samuel B. Harnly and his wife, Anna Perkins Harnly. The family later moved to Omaha, Nebraska, where Harnly spent much of his youth. Harnly's artistic talent became apparent early in his life. He initially pursued architecture at the University of Pennsylvania. However, he later switched to painting. He studied under Hugh Breckenridge and Arthur B. Carles. Harnly is best known for his paintings of domestic interiors. These works often depict furnished rooms, complete with details of furniture, textiles, and personal items. His paintings provide a glimpse into middle-class American homes during the mid-20th century.
• Who did Perkins Harnly influence?+

  Perkins Harnly's direct influence is difficult to trace, but some connections can be made. Jefferson David Chalfant, a still life painter working in Wilmington, Delaware, produced works very similar to those of William Harnett. Chalfant's son stated that his father was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1856, and died in Wilmington in 1931. Chalfant began as a cabinetmaker and later studied in Paris, but his style remained close to Harnett's. Newspapers frequently bracketed the two artists together, though Chalfant seemed uneasy about the comparison. George W. Piatt, another artist, also shows some connection to Harnett. Piatt was born in Rochester, New York, in 1839 and died in Denver in 1899. He studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts around the same time as Harnett. Piatt's still life paintings, particularly his "Wild West" series, share stylistic similarities with both Harnett and John Frederick Peto. Richard LaBarre Goodwin, born in Albany, New York, in 1840, painted hunting-cabin door scenes. While Goodwin's style differs from Harnett's in its romanticism and subject matter, some motifs and arrangements suggest Harnett's "After the Hunt" as a possible source of inspiration.
• Who influenced Perkins Harnly?+

  Perkins Harnly drew influence from a range of sources, both artistic and natural. He found inspiration in the works of artists such as Lahey, Sloan, Matulka, and Graham. Davis's conversations and enthusiasm for Pine Top Smith also played a role. Harnly also stated that his friends and contemporaries provided directives. Nature served as a significant source of inspiration for Harnly. He observed the movements of swallows, the fall of trees, the shapes of rocks, and the colours of animals. He also studied insects and butterflies under magnification, analysing their anatomy and movement. In addition, Harnly found inspiration in music, such as piano sonatas, and in the environment around him, including the patterns in rafters and the tools in his workshop. Memories of places, like 1 Atlantic Avenue, and objects, such as ship ventilators, also informed his work.
• Who was Perkins Harnly?+

  William Michael Harnett (1848-1892) was an Irish-American painter. Born in County Cork, he emigrated to the United States as a child. He became known for still-life paintings that employed trompe-l'oeil techniques. These works aimed to deceive the viewer into thinking that the painted objects were real. Harnett studied at the National Academy of Design and the Cooper Union in New York. He gained recognition in the late 1870s and 1880s. His paintings often featured everyday objects, such as books, musical instruments, and newspapers, arranged on tables or hung on walls. His work, *The Old Cupboard Door*, was bought by William B. Bement, a director of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Harnett's failing health caused a marked slowdown in his output after 1886. He died in New York in 1892.
• Why are Perkins Harnly's works important today?+

  The continuing relevance of artists such as Perkins Harnly can be understood in the context of shifting cultural values. A century ago, interest in esoteric and occult traditions was common among the upper classes; figures such as Sir William Crookes, Victor Hugo, and Thomas Edison were involved with groups such as the Society for Psychical Research, founded in England in 1882. Since World War I, however, occultism has lost its cultural prestige among the elite. Modernist artistic creativity, imagination, and intuition are now more valued. This shift has led to a kind of "Artist-Envy Syndrome," where the general population feels a lack of creativity and individuality, a feeling that mass-market occultism attempts to address. Examining early 20th-century artists through a postmodern lens risks distorting historical reality. By understanding the cultural values of Harnly's time, we gain insight into his artistic choices and motivations. This historical awareness allows for a more accurate appreciation of his work today.
• When was Perkins Harnly born?+

  Perkins Harnly was born in 1901 in United States. Perkins Harnly died in 1986, aged 85.