
William Michael Harnett
1848–1892, Irish-American
William Michael Harnett was a pioneering Irish-American painter best known for his remarkably realistic still lifes, which helped define the trompe-l'œil (French for "deceive the eye") style in... View More
William Michael Harnett was a pioneering Irish-American painter best known for his remarkably realistic still lifes, which helped define the trompe-l'œil (French for "deceive the eye") style in 19th-century American art. His meticulous attention to texture, light, and surface created illusions so convincing that viewers often mistook his paintings for real objects.
Born in Ireland and raised in Philadelphia, Harnett trained at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and later at the National Academy of Design in New York. He also spent time in Europe, especially in Munich, where he refined his academic technique. Unlike many artists of his era who pursued grand historical subjects, Harnett focused on humble objects: books, pipes, musical instruments, and everyday items arranged with quiet poetry and astonishing realism.
His compositions often carried subtle symbolism — meditations on time, transience, and the material world. Though once dismissed by elite art critics, his work was beloved by the public and has since gained lasting recognition for its technical brilliance and cultural insight.
Harnett’s legacy endures as a master of illusion and an innovator who elevated the ordinary into the extraordinary through paint.
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With the Staats Zeitung (1890) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
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The Old Violin (1886) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
Regular price From $39.00Regular price$50.00Sale price From $39.00The Old Violin (1886) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
Regular price From $39.00Regular price$50.00Sale price From $39.00The Old Violin (1886) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
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The Last Summer Rose (1886) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
Regular price From $39.00Regular price$50.00Sale price From $39.00The Last Summer Rose (1886) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
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The Banker’s Table (1877) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
Regular price From $39.00Regular price$50.00Sale price From $39.00The Banker’s Table (1877) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
Regular price From $39.00Regular price$50.00Sale price From $39.00The Banker’s Table (1877) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
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Still Life With Violin (1885) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
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Still Life with Violin (1883) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
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Still Life with New York Times, Tobacco Jar, Pipe and Matches (1879) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
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Regular price From $39.00Regular price$50.00Sale price From $39.00Still Life with New York Times, Tobacco Jar, Pipe and Matches (1879) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
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Still Life with Munich Newspaper, Fruit and Decanter (1881) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
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Regular price From $39.00Regular price$50.00Sale price From $39.00Still Life with Munich Newspaper, Fruit and Decanter (1881) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
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Still Life With Letter To Mr. William Taggart, Esq. (1878) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
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Still Life with Flute, Vase and Roman Lamp (1885) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
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Regular price From $39.00Regular price$50.00Sale price From $39.00Still Life with Flute, Vase and Roman Lamp (1885) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
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Still Life with Egyptian Vase, Apples and Grapes on a Marble Top Console (1881) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
Regular price From $39.00Regular price$50.00Sale price From $39.00Still Life with Egyptian Vase, Apples and Grapes on a Marble Top Console (1881) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
Regular price From $39.00Regular price$50.00Sale price From $39.00Still Life with Egyptian Vase, Apples and Grapes on a Marble Top Console (1881) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
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New York Daily News (1888) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
Regular price From $39.00Regular price$50.00Sale price From $39.00New York Daily News (1888) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
Regular price From $39.00Regular price$50.00Sale price From $39.00New York Daily News (1888) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
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My Gems (1888) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
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Music and Literature (1878) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
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Munich Still Life (1882) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
Regular price From $39.00Regular price$50.00Sale price From $39.00Munich Still Life (1882) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
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Just Dessert (1891) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
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Fruit Pieces (1877) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
Regular price From $39.00Regular price$50.00Sale price From $39.00Fruit Pieces (1877) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
Regular price From $39.00Regular price$50.00Sale price From $39.00Fruit Pieces (1877) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
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Alas, Poor Yorick (1877) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
Regular price From $39.00Regular price$50.00Sale price From $39.00Alas, Poor Yorick (1877) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
Regular price From $39.00Regular price$50.00Sale price From $39.00Alas, Poor Yorick (1877) Art Print | William Michael Harnett
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