Henri, Robert (1865-1929)

US painter and teacher, a leading figure in development of 20th-century American art. A realist, he was a member of the Eight, later known as the Ashcan School, and one of the organizers of the Armory Show.

Born in Cincinnati, he studied at Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and in Paris. Initially influenced by the Impressionists, he was increasingly drawn to Manet, Rembrandt, Velázquez, and Frans Hals, developing a style of strong tonal contrasts and a fluid brushwork. His subjects were often urban scenes, as in West 57th Street, New York (1902, University Art Gallery, Yale).

He was an inspired and important teacher, profoundly influencing such artists as George Bellows, William Glackens, Edward Hopper, Rockwell Kent, and George Luks. His various writings were collected in The Art Spirit (1923).