Robert Henri (1865-1929) was an American painter, instructor, and vocal supporter of modernism. He is best known for being the leader of The Eight, a group of realist artists that subsequently became known as the Ashcan School. Henri was a firm believer in realism and the use of common urban life as a subject. From 1915 to 1928, he was a professor at the Art Students League in New York, where he influenced artists such as Stuart Davis, Rockwell Kent, and Edward Hopper.