WILLIAM MICHAEL HARNETT (1848-1892)

A quintessential example of his trompe l’oeil compositions, the present work illustrates Harnett’s masterful approach to illusionistic painting. Atop a black marble table rests a letter, book, ink bottle, newspaper, and pocket knife. The pearly handle of the knife draws the viewer in, while its blade points one’s eye in the direction of a letter that reads: “now if…/your favor…/let me hear from…/…ediately and while…/…gaged on that work the…/…that I would call…/…ular attention to, of…” (as quoted in A. Frankenstein, After the Hunt: William Harnett and Other American Still Life Painters, 1870-1900, Berkeley, California, 1953, p. 167) Resting on the book, as if just set down by its reader, is an issue of the London Times dated to July 17, 1879. Harnett’s inclusion of contemporary ephemera adds a layer of realism that elaborates upon his visual illusions, creating the impression that the viewer has just entered someone’s private study, providing insight into the lives of his patrons.