"Untitled," Edward Mitchell Bannister, 1883.

American-Canadian painter Bannister (1828-1901) was a free-born black man who became a significant figure in African-American intellectual circles of his time, as well as being a prominent abolitionist.

He was a member of the group called the American Barbizon School, which focused mainly on peaceful, pastoral landscapes painted from the life. This style fell out of favor late in his life, and by the time he passed away he was largely forgotten. He had significant financial issues when he passed, and some noted with a bit of bitterness that after his death he was the subject of a memorial exhibition and other notoriety that he should have had while alive.

In the 60s, his work was rediscovered and reappraised, and he's now viewed as one of the great Black American artists.

From the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC.

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"Untitled (Moon Over a Harbor)," Edward Mitchell Bannister, c. 1868.

Bannister (1828-1901) was a Canadian-born Black artist who painted mostly in what is known as the American Barbizon school, an offshoot of the French Barbizon school of art, which specialized in simple scenes painted directly from nature. While American Barbizon artists usually focused on rural and farm scenes, but other settings, like this harbor, were used as well.

Bannister received national attention when he won first place in painting at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition. He was also an activist, a vocal abolitionist and social justice crusader. He was a prominent figure in Boston's Black artistic community.

Sadly, during his life his artistic style fell from favor, and after his death he was largely forgotten until the late 1960s, when his work was rediscovered by researchers of Black American history. Now he's regarded as a great Canadian-American original.

From the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

#Art #AmericanArt #EdwardMitchellBannister #BlackHistory #BlackArtists