Untitled (sunset with quarter moon and farmhouse)

Edward Bannister’s intimate views of the American landscape contrasted with the large vistas of mountains and canyons painted by many of his contemporaries. In this study of a sunset, the glowing tones of orange and yellow immediately draw us into the center of the image, as if we are standing among the dark, skeletal trees. The warm light softly highlights a pathway through the trees, and to the right we can see the faint outline of a building. Bannister’s thick paint, expressive brushstrokes, and vibrant contrasts of light and dark convey a dramatic scene, even on the small scale of a sketch. We feel, in looking at this study, that we were with Bannister as he stopped to capture a poetic moment on his evening walk.