Fidelia Bridges (1835-1923)
Thistle in a Field, 1875
Oil on canvas, 14 x 10”)
Signed and dated lower right

Bridges made precise renderings of flora and fauna in their outdoor settings, so she needed to paint in the open air for hours at a time. Custon required her to dress and behave there as though she were at home in her parlor. Women artists were not allowed to be "bohemian."

This oil, a departure from her usual medium of watercolor, was probably done in Stratford, Connecticut, where Bridges often summered in the 1870s. Her work was exhibited widely, and she was elected an Associate of the National Academy of Design. She spent her last years in Canaan, Connecticut.