Landscape 1889

Edward Mitchell Bannister created this landscape painting with oil on canvas, employing traditional fine art materials to portray a serene, pastoral scene. Bannister's visible brushstrokes and his attention to light and shadow give the painting a textured and lifelike feel. He carefully built up the forms of the trees and the rolling hills, using layers of paint to create depth. Bannister’s emphasis on capturing the atmosphere and light of the natural world is evident in the painting’s overall composition. The artwork reflects the influence of the Barbizon school, with its emphasis on naturalism and direct observation of nature. This approach, eschewing academic conventions, was a rejection of industrialization in favor of rural life. Bannister's connection to the American landscape tradition demonstrates the importance of materials, making, and context in understanding the full meaning of an artwork, challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.