Garden Path

Bonnie Eissner writes in her New York Times article "Overlooked No More: Fidelia Bridges, Artist Who Captured the Natural World," "Bridges was the rare 19th-century woman to transform what had been regarded as a domestic hobby into a respectable, profitable profession. At the height of her career, her work was seen as equal to that of Winslow Homer, one of the most famous American painters of the day; some even regarded it as superior. Henry James, reviewing her paintings on display at the American Watercolor Society’s 1875 exhibition for The Galaxy, an arts and literature magazine, said they were 'infinitely finer and more intellectual' than Homer’s. By the time that review was published, Bridges had developed a signature style. A close observer of nature and an admirer of Asian art and design, she turned scenes of local flora, birds and butterflies into graceful, affecting compositions." (December 16, 2024, Section B, p. 6) Garden Path exemplifies the immersive, ethereal nature of Bridges' best compositions, intricately depicting a variety of blossoms and allowing the viewer to walk alongside the artist on her path through nature's wonders.