American Realism

American Realism usually refers to the Ashcan School, led by Robert Henri, which portrayed New York City’s gritty life around 1900. But “realism” also describes earlier artists like John Singleton Copley, trompe l’oeil painters such as Rembrandt Peale and William Harnett, and 19th century figures including Winslow Homer, Thomas Eakins, and John Singer Sargent. The term later extended to movements like Socialist Realism and Photo Realism. Art historian Heidi Applegate traces these varied meanings across art history. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)