"I decided on the spot that I would be an artist, and I assure you, it was no ordinary artist I had in mind"

Henry Ossawa Tanner’s declaration of intent reveals a resolve forged in both ambition and imagination. His decision to become an artist emerges with the force of revelation, not as an afterthought, but as a moment of clarity and commitment. The immediacy of “on the spot” conveys the spontaneity of inspiration, the way a calling can sweep over an individual in a single, transformative instant. This is not merely a career choice, but the embracing of a new identity, one that would define his life’s course.

Tanner’s assurance that “it was no ordinary artist I had in mind” speaks to the breadth and depth of his vision. He is not content to replicate what has already been done, nor to occupy the generic role society might assign him. Instead, he imagines for himself an extraordinary path, one that might challenge conventions and expectations. His ambition hints at a yearning to innovate, to express himself with a distinct voice and style that would set him apart, that would leave a mark not simply on canvas, but on the tradition of art itself.

This self-determination resonates all the more considering Tanner’s context as an African American artist in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a time of profound obstacles and limited opportunities. His statement reflects both courage and foresight, embodying a refusal to be defined by the prejudices or limitations around him. Tanner’s vision is at once personal and transcendent: a commitment to artistic excellence, but also to the idea that art can be a means of challenging boundaries, opening possibilities for self and others. In envisioning himself as more than “ordinary,” Tanner articulates the artist’s eternal aspiration, to create something new, meaningful, and lasting, to surpass what is expected and offer the world a glimpse of the profound.