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This Juneteenth, we honor and commemorate the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans. Although the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863, it was not enforced in Confederate-controlled territory until June 19, 1865 at the end of the American Civil War. The holiday’s name is a combination of the words “June” and “nineteenth.” Today the Museum is celebrating the work of Black American artist Edward Mitchell Bannister. In “After the Bath,” Bannister expertly depicts a pastoral scene in the Barbizon style: a group of geese leave their bath and walk into a barn, observed by a man and woman. Bannister’s work was driven by the desire to demonstrate Black excellence in painting, which some critics alleged was impossible. He was successful: in 1876, he became the first Black artist to receive a national award. Bannister’s skill is a testament to the importance of celebrating the legacy of Black arts and culture today. __ Edward Mitchell Bannister, American, 1828–1901, “After the Bath,” ca. 1891, Oil on canvas, 36 x 49 in. (91.4 x 124.5 cm), San Antonio Museum of Art, Gift of Harmon and Harriet Kelley, 94.61.

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