Robert Henri Dark Bridget Lavelle, 1927 Oil on canvas 27 ˝ x 20 in. (69.9 x 50.8 cm) Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Leon H.Albus  In memory of Mrs. John Albus Portrait painting was central to the artistic practice of Robert Henri. He called his sitters “my people,” which suggests his close identification with and respect for the individuals he portrayed. Subsequent European travels introduced Henri to the realist paintings of Frans Hals, Diego Velazquez, Francisco Goya, and the early work of Edouard Manet. Under their influence, he abandoned his early impressionistic style and adopted a dark,  low-keyed palette and used quick and active brushstrokes to capture the vitality and immediacy of his subjects. Henri founded the American Ashcan School. The Ashcan School was a small group of artists who sought to document everyday life in turn-of-the-century New York City, capturing it in realistic and unglamorized paintings and etchings of urban street scenes. Henri painted not only Americans but also the citizens of such foreign countries as the Netherlands, Spain, and Ireland. Even at their most abstract, Henri’s portraits remain motivated by a love of humanity, and unfailingly convey his deep insight into and respect for the dignity and beauty of the common person.