ABSTRACT
As Tanner's active student days at the Pennsylvania Academy waned, he accelerated his public visibility with showings in Philadelphia in an effort to establish a reputation and begin a career. Tanner depicts a pivotal moment in the life of Joachim who, according to the apocryphal Gospel of James, was the husband of Saint Anne and the father of the Virgin Mary. As a devout follower of God, Joachim attempted to make a sacrifice in his honor at the temple, but the high priest rejected the offering because he had not yet produced a child and was deemed unworthy. Tanner's rewarding experience in the North Carolina mountains revitalized his spirits and his good fortune continued after his return. His family's association with Bishop Hartzell and his wife, Jennie C. Hartzell, proved to be a godsend. If the timeframe for The Building of the Pyramids is correct, then it divulges much about Tanner's evolution as a competitive artist.
