Edward Mitchell Bannister’s Landscapes in Conversation

This exhibition, organized in collaboration with Theresa Stokes of the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society, features Edward Bannister’s sketch drawings alongside works by George Inness. Visitors are invited to explore the shared language and distinct visions of two pivotal American painters. Examine the connections and contrasts between Bannister’s intimate sketches and Inness’s meditative landscapes, highlighting their shared pursuit of beauty and deeper meaning in the American environment.

About Edward Bannister

Edward Mitchell Bannister (1828–1901), a celebrated African American artist, was a leading figure in 19th-century American landscape painting. Known for his atmospheric compositions, Bannister captured the spiritual essence of nature with poetic, expressive brushwork. His work, which won first prize at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition, places him in dialogue with contemporaries like George Inness, who similarly sought to evoke the emotional power of the landscape.