The childhood home of famed American painter Henry Ossawa Tanner has long been abandoned in ruins in Philadelphia but efforts are underway to change that.
The Art Insider reports that local preservationists want to save the Tanner house, located at 2908 W. Diamond St. in Philadelphia. The group Friends of the Henry O. Tanner House is working to repair and renovate the property. The group said the home’s history is rooted in “significant Black Philadelphia legacies.”
Tanner, who attended the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, reportedly lived in the house for more than 15 years, from the age of 13. He grew up in the home with his sister, Halle Tanner Dillon Johnson, who was the first licensed physician in Alabama. Tanner’s niece, Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander, a civil rights activist who earned advanced degrees in economics and law, also resided there.
Tanner is a prominent figure in Philadelphia culture and the art world. He was one of the first Black American artists to gain international recognition in the early 20th century. Known for painting landscapes and interior scenes, Tanner has works in the permanent collections of both the White House and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
When he moved to Paris to work at age 30, his relatives took ownership of the childhood home but the property was ultimately abandoned. In 1976, the rowhouse was awarded National Historic Landmark status. Over time, the lack of maintenance and repairs brought it to its current condition.
According to a recent survey, the house was labeled a safety hazard. Homes that pose a danger to neighboring structures are supposed to be repaired or demolished, Art Insider reports.
A Black preservationist group is hoping to keep the property from demolition by raising funds to restore the Tanner house.
Historian Deborah Gary is leading an initiative through the Friends of the Henry O. Tanner House. The group has so far raised $30,000 for the renovation work.
ArtNews reports that at least $300,000 is needed for the repairs to keep the house from being destroyed.
The group says it is confident it will raise the necessary funds by June 2023.
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