Born in Hillsdale, Hudson, New York, John Bunyan Bristol was a contemporary of Hudson River School founder, Frederic Church and is considered part of this group of artists. A highly accomplished artist in his own right, he was largely self-taught, but had taken some study with Hudson River School artist, Henry Ary. Bristol never studied abroad as many of contemporaries had, but seems to have been content to paint the beautiful scenery fairly close to home--the Catskill and Adirondack mountains of New York State, Lake Champlain, the Green Mountains of New Hampshire, the Berkshire Mountains and the Connecticut River Valley. By the early 1860s 19th century artist John Bunyan Bristol had made New York City his home base; however, his summers were spent travelling throughout New York, and in 1859 he visited Florida where he painted scenes of St. Augustine and the St. Johns River. . His works have been compared to those of Hudson River artists, John F. Kensett and Asher B. Durand. Samuel Isham in his 1905 book, The History of American Painting, wrote of Bristol, now in his late 70s, that he was “still working today with undimmed eye and unwearied hand, was another of the men who kept to the early spirit of the [Hudson River] school; and more than Kensett retained and developed the silvery tones of Durand”. Bristol was a member of the Century Association; National Academy of Design; Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and the Artists Fund Society. exhibited at the National Academy of Design (1858 – 1900); Centennial Exposition (Philadelphia, 1876, medal); Paris Exposition (1889, prize); Pan-American Exposition (Buffalo, NY, 1901, medal); Brooklyn Art Association; Boston Art Club; and the Art Institute of Chicago.

High auction record for this artist is $73,200.

Call now to talk about your interest in this John Bunyan Bristol painting: 724-459-0612.

Jerry Hawk, Bedford Fine Art Gallery