Edward Mitchell Bannister

Edward Mitchell Bannister (November 2, 1828 - January 9, 1901) na he be a Canadian–American oil painter of de American Barbizon school. Na dem born am insyd colonial New Brunswick, he spend ein adult life insyd New England insyd de United States. Der, along plus ein wifey Christiana Carteaux, na he be a prominent member of African-American cultural den political communities, such as de Boston abolition movement. Na Bannister receive national recognition after he win a first prize insyd painting at de 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition. N he sanso be a founding member of de Providence Art Club den de Rhode Island School of Design.

Na Bannister ein style den predominantly pastoral subject matter reflect ein admiration give de French artist Jean-François Millet den de French Barbizon school. A lifelong sailor, na he sanso look to de Rhode Island seaside for inspiration. Bannister continually experiment, den ein artwork dey display ein Idealist philosophy den ein control of color den atmosphere. Na he begin ein professional practice as a photographer den portraitist before he develop ein better-known landscape style.

Later insyd ein life, na Bannister ein style of landscape painting fall out of favor. Plus decreasing painting sales, na he den Christiana Carteaux move out of College Hill insyd Providence to Boston den then a smaller house on Wilson Street insyd Providence. Na dem overlook Bannister insyd American art historical studies den exhibitions after ein death insyd 1901, til institutions like de National Museum of African Art return am to national attention insyd de 1960s den 1970s.

 Biography 

 Early life 
Na dem Bannister on November 2, 1828, insyd Saint Andrews, a settlement insyd de Colony of New Brunswick near de St. Croix River. Na dem born ein poppie, Edward Bannister, insyd Barbados.Holland and Jennings, Edward Mitchell Bannister, 1828–1901, 17; and Bearden and Henderson, A History of African-American Artists, 41. Na dem sanso born ein mommie, Hannah Bannister (), insyd colonial New Brunswick, according to Bannister, "a stone's throw of my birthplace on de banks of de St. Croix River." Na Hannah ein parents probably komot from Barbados."United States Census, 1880", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4SD-165 : Fri Oct 06 23:50:11 UTC 2023), Entry for E.M. Bannister and Christina Bannister, 1880."United States Census, 1900", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M97T-ZQ2 : Thu Oct 05 00:59:35 UTC 2023), Entry for Edward M Bannister and Christiana Bannister, 1900. Although na both of ein parents be black, na Bannister sam times be identified as "Mulatto." At de time, na dis designation dey base on skin color as perceived by de Census taker, wey na e no reflect self-identity anaa family history.Hochschild, J. L., & Powell, B. M. (2008). Na Bannister ein poppie die insyd 1832, so na Edward den ein younger bro William be raised by dema mommie. Early on, na Bannister be apprenticed to a cobbler, buh na ein drawing skill already be noted among ein paddies den family.  Na Bannister credit ein mommie plus igniting ein early interest insyd art. Na she die insyd 1844, after wich Bannister den ein bro live on de farm of de wealthy lawyer den merchant Harris Hatch.Der, na he practice drawing by reproducing Hatch family portraits den dey copy British engravings insyd de family library.

alt=Newspaper masthead with "The Liberator" in large letters, with background scenes of a slave auction, Jesus freeing a slave under the words "I Have Come to Break the Bonds of the Oppressor", and an emancipated family living on their own farm.|thumb|Masthead of The Liberator, 1861

 Boston activist, artist, den student 
alt=Oil painting portrait of Christiana Bannister. She sits on an upholstered chair and wears a brown skirt and blouse, with a red bow at her throat. She is clasping her hands and resting them on a nearby table.|thumb|Portrait of Christiana Carteaux Bannister, Edward Mitchell Bannister, 
Na Bannister meet Christiana Carteaux, a hairdresser den businesswoman dem born insyd Rhode Island to African American den Narragansett parents, insyd 1853 wen na he apply to be a barber insyd ein salon. Na both be members of Boston ein diverse abolitionist movement, wey na barbershops be important meeting places for African American abolitionists.Na dem marry on June 10, 1857, wey na she cam be, in effect, ein most important patron.  Na de couple board for two years plus Lewis Hayden den Harriet Bell Hayden at 66 Southac Street, a stop on Boston's Underground Railroad (a support network give escaped slaves).

 Providence 
alt=A pastoral oil painting with a small pond in the foreground, with cows grazing nearby. A man is walking down a path toward the pond, with oars carried over his shoulder. A copse of oak trees darken the center and left side of the background, while further back at right another body of water and hills are visible.|thumb|Painting dem plete around de time of Under the Oaks den thought to resemble ein composition. Oak Trees, oil on canvas, 1876
alt=A color photograph of buildings along Thomas Street in Providence, Rhode Island. The brick Seril Dodge House at right has three stories. It has a large wooden door, over which a lamp hangs. A small iron sign saying "Providence Art Club" hangs from side of the building, over the sidewalk. A small brick archway connects it to the other Seril Dodge House at left, just out of view.|thumb|Facade of de Seril Dodge House at right, wer na de Providence Art Club first be permanently wey dey locate insyd 1886

 Death 
Na Bannister die of a heart attack on January 9, 1901, while he dey attend an evening prayer meeting at ein church, Elmwood Avenue Free Baptist Church. Na he experience heart trouble for sam time buh na he plete two paintings per de previous day. During de service, na he offer a prayer wey he shortly after sit down, gasping. Na ein last words reportedly be "Jesus, help me". 

 Artistic style 

alt=A pastoral oil painting. In the foreground, a small figuring carrying an ax over its shoulder holds onto its hat in a high wind as it makes its way along a country path. In the background, several trees are bent by the wind and the sky above, while still somewhat sunny, contains dark clouds on the horizon.|thumb|Approaching Storm, Edward Mitchell Bannister, 1886, oil on canvas, 102.2 cm x 152.4 cm
Na de young Bannister advertise einself as a portraitist, buh later he cam be popular for ein landscapes den seascapes.Drawing on ein knowledge of poetry, classics, den English literature as an autodidact, na he sanso paint biblical, mythological, den genre scenes. Much like George Inness, na ein work reflect de composition, mood, den influences of French Barbizon painters Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, Jean-François Millet, den Charles-François Daubigny. Defending Millet insyd The Artist and His Critics, na Bannister see am as de most "spiritual artist of wona time" wey dem voice "de sad, uncomplaining life na he see about am den plus wich na he sympathize so deeply."

Na historian Joseph Skerrett note de influence of de Hudson River School on Bannister, while dey maintain dat na he consistently experiment thru out ein career: "na Bannister manage to please a conservative New England taste insyd art while dey continue to try new methods den styles." For dema mutual affinity plus de Hudson River School, na dem compare Bannister to ein contemporary, de Ohio-based African American painter Robert S. Duncanson. Unlike Hudson River School artists, na Bannister no create meticulous landscapes buh na he pay more attention to creating "massive but revealing shapes of trees and mountains" den works more picturesque dan sublime.Na Bannister sanso avoid de "nationalist grandeur" dem often find insyd Hudson River School paintings.

alt=A bright painting of a Boston street scene, rendered with blurred impressionistic strokes. A woman pushes a baby carriage along a sidewalk in the foreground, and in the background several carts, store fronts, and people walking on the opposite side of the street are visible. Leafy trees stretch into the visible, blue sky from the right side of the painting.|thumb|Boston Street Scene (Boston Common), (1898–99). The Walters Art Museum.
Na Bannister often make pencil anaa pastel studies insyd preparation for larger oil paintings. Na chaw of ein compositions refer to classical, mathematical methods like de Golden Ratio anaa "Harmonic Grid", wey he make careful use of symmetry den asymmetry. Insyd oda paintings, ein contrast of darks den lights create dynamic diagonals anaa circles wey dey divide de composition.  Ein paintings be known for dema delicate use of color to depict shadow den atmosphere den dema loose brushwork. Ein later palette exhibit lighter, more muted colors: de Boston Common scene na he paint late insyd ein life be a notable example. Dis change in style dey stand in contrast to ein earlier stated disapproval of Impressionist painting. 

Na art historian Traci Lee Costa argue dat a "reductive" emphasis on na Bannister ein biography take attention away from scholarly analysis of ein artwork.  Insyd de lecture The Artist and His Critics dem give to de Anne Eliza Club on April 15, 1886, wey dem publish afterward, na Bannister spell out ein belief wey dey make art be a highly spiritual practice de pinnacle of human achievement.

 Legacy 

Na Bannister be de major African American artist of de late nineteenth century wey develop ein talents widout European exposure; na he be well known insyd de artistic community of Providence wey be admired within de wider East Coast art world.  After ein death, na he be largely forgotten by art history for almost a century, principally secof racial prejudice.  Na dem often dey omit ein art from 20th-century art histories, den ein style of melancholic, serene landscapes sanso fall out of fashion.Still, he den ein paintings be an indelible part of a refigured relationship between African American culture den de landscapes of Reconstruction-era America.

Na Bannister ein art continue to be supported by galleries like de Barnett-Aden Gallery den de Art Institute of Chicago.Dey follow de civil rights movement insyd de 1960s, na dem san celebrate den widely collect ein work. In collaboration plus de Rhode Island School of Design den de Frederick Douglass Institute, na de National Museum of African Art hold an exhibition dem title Edward Mitchell Bannister, 1828–1901: Providence Artist insyd 1973. Na de Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame induct Bannister insyd 1976, wey Rhode Island College create de Bannister Gallery insyd 1978 plus an inaugural exhibition Four from Providence : Bannister, Prophet, Alston, Jennings.

Na de New York-based Kenkebala Gallery hold two exhibitions of Bannister ein work, one insyd 1992 wey be curated by Corrinne Jennings in collaboration plus de Whitney den one insyd 2001 on de centennial of Bannister ein death. From June 9 to October 8, 2018, na de Gilbert Stuart Museum hold an exhibition wey dey honor Bannister den Carteaux dema relationship, "My Greatest Successes Have Come Through Her": The Artistic Partnership of Edward and Christiana Bannister, as part of ein Rhode Island Masters exhibition series. Na Bannister ein portrait of Christiana Carteaux be de center of de exhibition.
Insyd September 2017, na a Providence City Council committee unanimously vote make dem rename Magee Street (wich na dem name after a Rhode Island slave trader) to Bannister Street, in honor of Edward den Christiana Bannister. Na de Providence Art Club unveil a bronze bust of Bannister wey Providence artist Gage Prentiss make insyd May 2021. As of 2018, art historian Anne Louise Avery dey compile de first catalogue raisonné den a major biography of Bannister ein work.

Insyd September 2023, na dem unveil a bronze sculpture of Bannister by artist Gage Prentiss insyd Providence ein Market Square. Bannister be depicted insyd life size, wey dey tap on a bench.

 House 

Insyd 1884 na Bannister den Carteaux move from de boarding house of Ransom Parker to 93 Benevolent Street, wey na dem live der til 1899.Na dem build de two-and-a-half-story wooden house circa 1854 by engineer Charles E. Paine wey e now be known as "The Vault" anaa "The Bannister House". Na Euchlin Reeves den Louise Herreshoff purchase de house insyd de late 1930s wey na dem renovate am make dem add a brick exterior. Na dem make de renovation make e create consistency plus dema next-door property, so both houses fi hold dema "little museum" of antiques. Na Herreshoff die insyd 1967 wey na dem donate de porcelain collection wey dey fill de Bannister House to Washington and Lee University.

Drm now list de house as e dey contribute to College Hill ein historical designation. Na Brown University buy de property insyd 1989 wey na dem use am take store refrigerators. Secof a lack of plans for ein preservation den use, na de Providence Preservation Society put de Bannister House on ein 2001 list of most endangered buildings insyd Providence. Na Brown University presido Ruth Simmons assure historian den former Rhode Island deputy secretary of state Ray Rickman say dem go preserve de house, although na de university debate whether make dem sell de house to a third party.

Secof ein disrepair den long disuse make de house unsuitable for residence, na Brown renovate de property insyd 2015 wey na dem restore am to ein original appearance. Na dem sell am insyd 2016 as part of de Brown to Brown Home Ownership Program - na de program dey specify say if dem ever sell de house, dem for sell am back to de university.

Artworks dem select

 References 

Read further

 External links 

Edward Mitchell Bannister at American Art Gallery
Artwork by Edward Mitchell Bannister
Biographical sketch and images at World Wide Art Resources
Narratives of Art and Identity: The David C. Driskell Collection

Category:1828 births
Category:Human
Category:1901 deaths
Category:19th-century American painters
Category:19th-century American male artists
Category:African-American painters
Category:American landscape painters
Category:American male painters
Category:Artists wey komot New Brunswick
Category:Artists wey komot Providence, Rhode Island
Category:Burials at North Burying Ground (Providence)
Category:Canadian people of Barbadian descent
Category:Painters wey komot Rhode Island
Category:People wey komot Saint Andrews, New Brunswick
Category:People of Massachusetts insyd de American Civil War
Category:Emigrants wey komot pre-Confederation New Brunswick to de United States
Category:African-American abolitionists
Category:Abolitionists wey komot Massachusetts