American painter William Ed Bryan was a well-known figure and portrait painter in Texas in his day. He was born there in Whitney, but lived and worked most of his life in Dublin (TX). He received his education at the famous Art Academy of Cincinnati and upon his graduation in 1905 he received an art scholarship to the Académie Colarossi in Paris. There he also studied at the Académie Julian under Jean Paul Laurens. During his Paris period he made study trips to England, Italy, Germany and Holland. In 1907 Ed Bryan was appointed as a teacher at the Art Academy of Cincinnati but his failing health forced him to give it up after two years and he returned to Dublin.