Return to the Tomb (1914)

Henry Ossawa Tanner is the artist behind "Return to the Tomb", dated 1914. Historical background, 1914: Posters, magazines, and illustrated books were major ways for the public to meet new art and design. Dada and Surrealism followed the First World War, the Bauhaus school was founded in 1919, and Art Deco became the fashionable decorative style of the 1920s and 1930s. The catalogue places it in Drawings. The format is square. Drawings, a short history: Drawings range from quick preparatory sketches to finished works in pen, chalk, charcoal, graphite, or wash. Because line carries so much of the effect, drawings tend to reward close looking at the quality of the mark.

On onlly.art "Return to the Tomb" is sold as a digital download (Digital JPEG + PDF files, 300 DPI). The files are delivered by email after payment, so nothing is shipped: you print locally, choosing the paper, size, and frame yourself. A square format is flexible and works well on its own or as part of a grid on a gallery wall. Drawings and sketches stand out through line clarity and a sense of the artist process, which makes them a natural fit for minimalist, monochrome, and graphic interiors. Before printing, compare the proportions of the file with your frame so that nothing important is cropped. Matte and fine-art papers reduce glare in bright rooms, while glossy papers give stronger contrast and deeper blacks. Choosing a standard frame size and printing to fit it often saves the cost of custom framing. Screens and printers render colour differently, so a small test print is a sensible way to check tones before committing to a large size.

American, 1859–1937

If you like the visual language of Henry Ossawa Tanner, explore more works by the same artist in our collection.