Bunny Art

Australian painter Rupert Charles Wulsten Bunny (1864-1947) was stuck with a last name that I consider unfortunate, though I don't know his take on the matter. To me, "Bunny" is unserious. On the other hand, it's distinctive, so might have been an marketing asset.

Setting this aside, he seems to have been a skilled painter who produced some interesting works. I can't recall seeing any of his paintings either in the USA or Europe. Many are in Australia, which I've never visited. Therefore accept what I just said as a provisional take.

There is a Wikipedia entry on Bunny here, but it's quite brief. A more comprehensive biographical not is here and a short one here.

Below are examples of his work.


Gallery

A Summer Morning - 1897

Dolce farniente (Sweet Idleness) - c.1897
These are two earlier works.

Nellie Melba - 1901-02

CF Keary
Two portraits, the upper one of the famous Australian opera singer.

Return from the Garden - c.1906

Nocturne - c.1908

A Summer Morning - c.1908
Three paintings from the same period.

The Sun Bath - 1913
This was painted on his return to Paris from a visit to Australia. Note the more impressionistic style.

Muses Plucking the Wings of Sirens - c. 1922
An even later work. Bunny seems to have believed that he wasn't Modernist so, like so many other artists of his time, made an effort. If he tried this because his earlier style wasn't selling, I can sympathize even though the result isn't as impressive as his earlier works.