Portrait of Christiana Carteaux Bannister

Portrait of Christiana Carteaux Bannister

This portrait offers an intimate view of Christiana Carteaux Bannister, painted by her husband only a few years after their marriage in 1857. Bannister captures her in softer, warm colours, presenting her as composed and confident within an elegant domestic space. Christiana was a prominent abolitionist and the successful owner of hairdressing businesses in Boston and Providence. It was her financial support that enabled Bannister to pursue painting full-time. He openly acknowledged her influence, remarking that “my greatest successes have come through her.” Though not always visible in the historical record, Christiana is at the center of Bannister’s artistic life. She is a reminder that the emergence of Black artists in North America was sustained not only by individual talent but also by deeper networks of community, love and labour. This portrait positions her as a key figure within both Bannister’s story and Black art history.

Edward Mitchell Bannister

Bannister, Edward Mitchell. Portrait of Christiana Carteaux Bannister. 1860. Oil on canvas. RISD Museum, Providence.

RISD Museum

1860

Public domain. Image and information courtesy of the RISD Museum.

Oil on canvas

Object Number: 2016.38.1

Providence, Rhode Island, United States

Oil on canvas

66.7 × 55.2 cm (26 1/4 × 21 3/4 inches)