William Gedney Bunce

In 1879 the painter William Gedney Bunce returned to America after twelve years of living in Europe. He moved to New York and established a studio in the new Benedick Building at 80 East Washington Square. Olin Warner was among the members of the Society of American Artists who had studios there. When Bunce joined this community, he and Warner became close friends. In 1885, Warner made this portrait for Bunce as a gift, inscribing the right side in script, “To my friend/Wm Gedney Bunce.”