Charles Ragland Bunnell Figurative Paintings
American, 1897-1968
Charles Bunnell developed a love for art at a very young age. As a child in Kansas City, Missouri, he spent much of his time drawing. When he was unable to find paper he drew on walls and in the margins of textbooks for which he was often fined. Around 1915, Bunnell moved with his family to Colorado Springs, Colorado. He served in World War I and later used his GI Training to study at the Broadmoor Art Academy (later renamed the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center) during 1922 and 1923.
In 1922, he married fellow student, Laura Palmer. He studied with Ernest Lawson in 1927-1928 and, in the winter of 1928-1929, he served as Lawson’s assistant. In the late 1920’s, the Bunnell’s settled just west of Colorado Springs and 1928, they welcomed the first of their three children. Their one-acre homesite, which they referred to as “Old Home Place”, was situated between two sets of railroad tracks at the foot of Pike’s Peak. Charlie converted an old railroad boxcar into his studio, where he later gave lessons.
Beginning in 1931, Bunnell spent a year and a half studying under Boardman Robinson. The two men clashed constantly due to a generation gap and markedly different philosophies. Robinson encouraged his students not to stray from realism and though Bunnell mastered Robinson’s preferred style of American Scene painting, he regularly irritated his professor with his abstract sketches.
Bunnell taught at the Kansas City Art Institute during the summers of 1929, 1930, 1940, and 1941. Between 1934 and 1941, he painted and taught under federal projects which included assisting Frank Mechau on murals for the Colorado Springs Post Office. However, he did not take to mural making and, after criticism from Boardman Robinson about his use of “heavy daubs which have no place in mural work,” he abandoned mural-making altogether.
By the late 1930’s, Bunnell’s work departed from the American Scene/Modernist style he was trained in towards abstraction. This is marked by his “Black and Blue” series, consisting of 83 abstracted ink and watercolors. Affected by the Second World War and the loss of his 10-year old son, Bunnell’s work of the early 1940’s took on a Transcendental and Surrealist tone. The works from this period are moody and readily reflect the political and personal turmoil experienced by the artist.
In the late 1940’s, Bunnell began experimenting with Abstract Expressionism. He alone is credited with introducing Colorado Springs to the new style as it was excluded from the Fine Art Center’s curriculum by Boardman Robinson. Bunnell excelled in Abstract Expressionism and continued to evolve in the style through the 1950’s continuing to his death in 1968. He was recently recognized as a premier American Abstract Expressionist by his inclusion in the book American Abstract Expressionism of the 1950’s: An Illustrated Survey. © David Cook Galleries, LLC
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Artist: Charles Ragland Bunnell
Man In His Search for God, 1939 WPA Era Original Grey Scale Gouache Painting
By Charles Ragland Bunnell
Located in Denver, CO
This striking vintage 1939 original painting, titled Man In His Search for God, is a powerful piece from Charles Bunnell’s renowned Black and Blue Series. The artwork is painted in i...
Category
1930s Futurist Charles Ragland Bunnell Figurative Paintings
Materials
Gouache
Cripple Creek Victor Mine Colorado, 1940 Watercolor Mountain Landscape Art
By Charles Ragland Bunnell
Located in Denver, CO
Original 1940 watercolor painting on paper by celebrated Colorado modernist Charles Ragland Bunnell, depicting the Cripple Creek or Victor Mine, nestled ...
Category
1940s American Modern Charles Ragland Bunnell Figurative Paintings
Materials
Watercolor
1950s New York City Abstract Skyline - Moody Night Cityscape Oil Painting
By Charles Ragland Bunnell
Located in Denver, CO
This stunning 1951 oil painting on board by renowned American artist Charles Ragland Bunnell captures an abstracted New York City skyline in a rich nocturnal color palette of black, ...
Category
1950s Abstract Expressionist Charles Ragland Bunnell Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil
Golden Cycle Mill Colorado WPA Mining Watercolor, 1940s Grayscale Artwork
By Charles Ragland Bunnell
Located in Denver, CO
Original 1940s grayscale watercolor painting by American artist Charles Ragland Bunnell, capturing a semi-abstracted view of the Golden Cycle Mill in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Painted in subtle shades of black and gray, this unique WPA-era landscape combines industrial subject matter with expressive, modernist style. A striking piece of American regionalist art from the mid-20th century.
The work is presented in a custom black frame.
Framed dimensions: 18" H x 19 ½" W x 1 ⅜" D
Sight size: 8 ⅛" H x 9 ⅝" W
The Golden Cycle Mining and Reduction Company, depicted in this piece, was a major part of Colorado's mining boom in the early 20th century. Located in Colorado City (now part of Old Colorado City), the mill played a significant role in the region’s gold production and industrial development.
About the Artist: Charles Ragland Bunnell (1897–1968)
Charles Bunnell was a pivotal figure in Colorado’s 20th-century art scene. He worked across multiple styles—from representational landscapes to fully abstract compositions—and was one of the few artists in Colorado to successfully embrace the evolving trends of Modernism, Surrealism, and Abstraction after WWII.
Bunnell studied under notable artists at the Broadmoor Art Academy, including Ernest Lawson and Birger Sandzén. His early works, including regional landscapes and mining scenes like this one, showcase a mix of American Scene painting and semi-abstract structure. He later became known for his bold experimentation with color, form, and geometry, producing both expressive oils and ink-watercolor series such as Black and Blue.
He participated in multiple New Deal art...
Category
1940s American Modern Charles Ragland Bunnell Figurative Paintings
Materials
Watercolor
"Sacred Family" 1950s Abstract Figurative Impasto Oil Painting, Red, Blue, White
By Charles Ragland Bunnell
Located in Denver, CO
"Untitled (Sacred Family)" is a powerful abstract oil painting on board by renowned American artist Charles Ragland Bunnell (1897-1968), created circa 1950. Signed by the artist in the lower right corner, this striking piece portrays an abstract interpretation of several figures grouped together, capturing the essence of human connection. The dynamic composition is enhanced by vivid, contrasting colors of black, red, blue, green, orange, yellow, and white, creating a sense of depth and movement within the piece.
This exceptional painting is presented in a vintage frame with outer dimensions of 34 ½ x 29 x 1 ¼ inches, and the image size measures 23 ½ x 18 ¾ inches. It remains in good condition, showcasing Bunnell’s mastery of color, texture, and abstraction. Expedited and international shipping options are available—please contact us for a quote.
About the Artist: Charles Ragland Bunnell, born in 1897 in Kansas City, Missouri, developed a deep passion for art from a young age. His early artistic explorations included drawing on walls and textbooks, eventually leading him to study at the Broadmoor Art Academy (now Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center) under the GI Bill in the early 1920s. After marrying fellow art student Laura Palmer...
Category
1950s Abstract Charles Ragland Bunnell Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil
Cameron's Cone, Colorado Springs – Framed Sunset Watercolor Landscape Painting
By Charles Ragland Bunnell
Located in Denver, CO
This original 1930s watercolor painting by Charles Ragland Bunnell beautifully captures the majestic landscape of Cameron’s Cone near Colorado Springs...
Category
1930s Charles Ragland Bunnell Figurative Paintings
Materials
Watercolor
"Birth" 1940s Surrealist Abstract Watercolor Painting, Gray Scale Female Figure
By Charles Ragland Bunnell
Located in Denver, CO
"Birth" is a striking semi-abstract watercolor painting created by the talented Colorado artist, Charles Ragland Bunnell, in 1943. The artwork, crafted during Bunnell's Black and Blu...
Category
1940s Surrealist Charles Ragland Bunnell Figurative Paintings
Materials
Watercolor
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Charles Ragland Bunnell figurative paintings for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Charles Ragland Bunnell figurative paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing the collection of figurative paintings to introduce a pop of color in a neutral corner of your living room or bedroom, you can find work that includes elements of orange and other colors. You can also browse by medium to find art by Charles Ragland Bunnell in paint, oil paint, watercolor and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the abstract style. Not every interior allows for large Charles Ragland Bunnell figurative paintings, so small editions measuring 12 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Emily Roz, Gregory Kitterle, and Mark Lavatelli. Charles Ragland Bunnell figurative paintings prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $475 and tops out at $12,500, while the average work can sell for $2,950.