John Elwood Bundy Original 19thC Antique Indiana Autumn Landscape River American Impressionist Richmond Group Oil Painting
Original 19th-century oil painting of an Indiana autumn landscape with a river and beech trees, by American impressionist, John Elwood Bundy, (1853-1933). Estimated to have been created approximately 1890, the antique painting is an oil on paper; (long ago attached to board). The painting is signed in the lower left corner and measures approximately 4.2" X 6.5", plus the frame. The painting is in original condition, with no prior overpaints/restorations. There is some minor chipping of the paper on the upper portion of the painting. The painting is currently in a vintage wood frame, behind matting and glass. Please review all images for condition.
John Elwood Bundy (May 1, 1853 – January 17, 1933) was a prominent American Impressionist painter, often referred to as the "dean" of the Richmond Group—a collective of influential artists active during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Born into a Quaker family in Guilford County, North Carolina, Bundy moved with his family at the age of five to a farm near Monrovia, Indiana, traveling by covered wagon. Although he received brief formal training under Barton S. Hays in Indianapolis, Bundy was largely self-taught. His artistic journey included a period in New York, where he honed his craft by copying masterworks at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
In 1887, Bundy joined Earlham College as a member of its art department. By 1895, he transitioned to painting full-time, working from a studio behind his home on West Main Street in Richmond, Indiana. Bundy became a foundational figure in the regional art scene, playing a key role in establishing the Society of Western Artists and the Richmond Art Museum in 1898. His paintings, celebrated for their evocative depictions of Indiana landscapes, often featured American beech trees; a subject for which he became particularly renowned. Although Indiana was his primary focus, Bundy occasionally traveled to California and northern Michigan to expand his artistic repertoire.
Today, Bundy's work remains highly sought after and is featured in numerous private collections and museums, including the Haan Mansion Museum of Indiana Art, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the Indiana State Museum, and the Richmond Art Museum.
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