The Rhode Island Art World in Bannister's Time
by Edward A. Giarusso

The Rhode Island art community of 1870 was a perfect environment for Mr. Bannister to study and practice his vocation. An article I wrote in 1982 in “The Rhode Island Review” titled “Reclaiming a Lost World: 19th Century Providence Art,” detailed the Providence art scene of the late 19th Century as vibrant and dynamic. This was a result of local art enthusiasts building sizeable collections of French Barbizon and Impressionist paintings in that city.

Thomas Robinson, a Providence artist studying in France and working as an agent for Seth Vose was responsible for many European paintings being brought in to the Port of Providence for sale locally and in Boston. From this research it became apparent that Mr. Bannister, as well as his friends and colleagues, needed to be viewed as much more than local artists with moderate skills but talented individuals with a strong understanding of the art trends of Europe and especially France. Understanding the community in which Mr. Bannister lived, along with his deep Christian faith, reveal the true nature of the man and the legacy in which he would want to be remembered today.