Edward Mitchell Bannister (1828-1901) was a Black Canadian-American painter who captured the American landscapes of New England in the style of the Barbizon School. He moved to Boston as a teenager, but due to his race he was unable to get an apprenticeship with a studio. Therefore, he was entirely self-taught as an artist. He was married to the hairdresser and entrepreneur Christiana Carteaux, who supported him in his early career.
His first commissions were for portraits, but as he became exposed to European art while in Boston, he started painting more landscapes. Inspired by the Rhode Island coast and city of Boston, he captured scenes of the world in which he lived. He also used his talents to combat slavery, donating his painting of Union officer Robert Gould Shaw to raise money for the African-American soldiers of the Civil War.
Throughout the late 19th century, he became celebrated in local art circles, becoming a full-time painter in 1870. He won first prize at the Centennial International Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1878 and was a member of the board of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).
Celebrated during his lifetime, his work eventually fell out of favor before it was recognized again in the second half of the 20th century. Today his pastoral landscapes can be found in important American museum collections such as the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the RISD Museum and the Walters Art Museum.
Now, one of his paintings is headed to auction at Alex Cooper Auctioneers on December 16. Entitled Autumn Landscape, the oil on board work is signed by the artist and has been part of a private collection in Baltimore. It is estimated at $6,000-8,000. The sale offers a unique opportunity to own a work by Bannister, whose beautiful work is a testament to his ability to rise above the racial challenges of his era to become a leading artist of the 19th century in New England. It is a major highlight in Alex Cooper's Gallery Auction, which includes over 500 lots of paintings, furniture, decorative arts, and fine rugs.