Henry Tanner was the first African-American painter to gain international acclaim. He is often regarded as a realist painter, focusing on accurate depictions of subjects. While his works were concerned with everyday life as an African American, Tanner later painted themes based on religious subjects. His body of work is not limited to one specific approach to painting. His works vary from meticulous attention to detail in some paintings to loose, expressive brushstrokes in others. Often both methods are employed simultaneously. The combination of these two techniques makes for a masterful balance of skilful precision and powerful expression. Tanner was also interested in the effects that color could have in a painting. Many of his paintings accentuate a specific area of the color spectrum. Warmer compositions such as The Resurrection of Lazarus (1896) and The Annunciation (1898) express the intensity and fire of religious moments, and the elation of transcendence between the divine and humanity.
