[63] Page 53.—Some interesting facts as to the evolution of libraries in the Dominion can be gathered by reference to Bourinot's "Intellectual Development in Canada" (Toronto, 1831); Canniff Haight's "Country Life in Canada Fifty Years Ago"; Dr. Canniff's "History of Ontario"; and Dr. Kingsford's "Early Bibliography of Ontario." The principal results of the Ontario law providing for the establishment of free libraries by votes of ratepayers in a community have been the opening of two excellent libraries in Hamilton and Toronto—the latter under the judicious superintendence of Mr. James Bain.
CANADIAN ARTISTS.
[64] Page 54.—An Art Society was founded in Upper Canada as far back as 1841, but its exhibitions were necessarily representative of British works of art. The present Art Association was founded in Montreal in 1860, and the Ontario School of Arts, which is doing excellent work, twelve years later, with its headquarters in Toronto. The Royal Canadian Academy, mentioned in the text, was established in 1880. The influence of these and two or three minor institutions in Canada has been on the whole in the direction of stimulating art, but their efforts are not adequately encouraged by government or people in the provinces.
The following is a list of the painters in oils and water colours whose pictures now make the principal features of the annual exhibitions in Ontario and Quebec, and the majority of whom were inadequately represented at Chicago: F. A. Verner, whose Indian and Canadian scenes are excellent; H. M. Matthews, who has made a high reputation for his Rocky Mountain paintings; L. R. O'Brien, essentially the most finished painter of picturesque Canada; T. Mower Martin, an industrious painter of wild sports and Canadian scenery; E. Wyley Grier, who has done some good work in portraits and natural scenery; W. Brymner, one of the most promising younger painters of Canadian scenes: George Reid, whose "Foreclosure of the Mortgage" is one of the best pictures produced in the Dominion; John Hammond of St. John, N.B., a painter of water life; Percy Woodcock, whose efforts at sketches of Canadian rural life are praiseworthy: F. M. Bell-Smith, who has a decided artistic faculty for the portraiture of our noblest scenery; Homer Watson, a favourite for his rustic landscapes and romantic pastorals; J. W. L. Forster, in some respects the best figure painter, but also capable of good landscapes; G. Bruenech, a careful artist of scenery; Ernest Thompson, who has made some good efforts at prairie subjects; J. C. Forbes, who painted Mr. Gladstone's portrait, and is one of the best artists of the class that Canada has so far known; W. Raphael and O. R. Jacobi, two of the oldest and best known painters of Canadian landscape. To these we must add Miss Minnie A. Bell, A. Watson, Miss Sidney S. Tully, Mrs. M. H. Reid, J. T. Rolph, R. F. Gagen, T. C. McGillivray Knowles, Forshaw Day, L. Huot, Mlle. Colombier, E. Dyonnet, C. Macdonald Manly, D. P. MacKillsan, J. W. Morrice, A. D. Patterson, Miss G. F. Spurr, F. S. Challener, Paul J. Wickson, Mrs. M. B. Screiber, W. Revell, D. Fowler, Miss E. May Martin, Miss Laura Muntz, Miss F. M. Bell-Smith, Miss Florence Carlyle, Miss I. M. F. Adams, Owen P. Staples, Mrs. M. E. Dignam, Charles Alexander, W. E. Atkinson, J. C. Mills, J. A. Fraser (in New York), Carl Ahrens, W. A. Sherwood, Miss Fannie Sutherland, T. C. V. Ede, H. Sandham (in New York), Mr. Harvey, Mr. Cruickshank, Mr. Seavey, A. Cox, Miss Edwards, J. Griffith, Colin Scott, J. Wilson, James Smith, C. J. Way, F. Brownell, A. P. Coleman, R. Harris, Miss Holden and Miss Houghton. Many of these artists, whose merits, of course, vary much, are not native Canadians. One of the strongest landscape painters, Mr. Matthews, is an Englishman, who has now, after some years, thoroughly understood the light and colour of Canadian scenery. O'Brien, Brymner, L. Huot, Forbes, Forster, Pinhey, Sidney Tully, G. Harris, Gagen, Knowles, Watson, Alexander, A. D. Patterson, C. M. Manly, E. May Martin and George Reid are Canadians. G. T. Berthon, who died recently in Toronto at an advanced age, and was known as a painter of numerous portraits, the best of which are to be seen in Osgoode Hall, was of French origin and education. Raphael is German by birth and education. Jacobi is a painter of the Dusseldorf school, and was at one time employed in the court of the King of Bavaria. Bruenech is a native, I understand, of Denmark, though educated in Canada. E. W. Grier is an Englishman by birth and education, with a knowledge of French art derived from study in Paris. So is Ernest Thompson, who also studied in Paris. Mower Martin is an Englishman, educated in that country and in Canada, with whose scenery he has been always enamoured. Carl Ahrens was born and educated in the United States. Miss Minnie Bell and Miss Laura Muntz are among the most promising younger artists of Canada. Both were born and received their elementary education in Canada. Miss Bell, after studying in Paris, is now in Montreal. Miss Muntz is still studying in Paris. Robert Harris is a native of Prince Edward Island. Mr. N. Bourassa, who is a French Canadian artist, has of late years devoted himself to ecclesiastical decoration. His best work is to be seen in the architecture and decoration of the churches of Notre Dame de Nazareth and Notre Dame de Lourdes, in Montreal, and he has the credit of having first applied probably in America "the art of painting to the adornment of Christian churches in the broad and thorough manner so common at one period in central Italy." (See Dr. S. E. Dawson's "Handbook of Canada," Montreal, 1888, pp. 183, 184.) The influence of the French schools of painting can be seen in the best works of Paul Peel (now dead), Forster, Harris, Geo. Reid and John Pinhey (born at Ottawa), all of whom have had success at the salons. At the present time there are some twenty-five Canadians, more or less, studying in Paris, and the majority are French Canadians. In fact, the French schools draw students from Canada as well as from the United States, and England is relatively ignored. The artistic temperament is more stimulated by the ateliers and the student life of Paris than among the more business-like and cold surroundings of a student in London. In sculpture the names are very few, Hamilton McCarthy, Hébert and Dunbar having alone done meritorious work, but of these three Hébert is the only native Canadian. One of the very first painters to draw attention, years ago, to Canadian scenery, especially to the wonderfully vivid tints of autumn, was Krieghoff, whose pictures have been so much copied that it is difficult now to tell the originals from the reproductions. He was, however, not a native Canadian but a Swiss painter from the German-speaking cantons, I believe. The name of Paul Kane (born in Toronto) will be always identified with Indian life and customs, and as the pioneer of art in Canada. A fine collection of his paintings is in the possession of Hon. G. W. Allan, who has always taken an active interest in the development of art in the city of which he has been so long an honoured citizen.
Among other Canadian artists who laboured in the commencement of art studies in this country may be mentioned the following: Dulongpré, Samuel Berczy, Audy, William Berczy, Vincent Zacharie Thelariolin (Indian of Lorette, 1812–1886), Hamel, Carey, T. H. Burnett, J. J. Girouard, P. Leber—many of whose artistic efforts are already forgotten though their work was meritorious. With respect to Berthon, the following note by Col. G. T. Denison, F.R.S.C., of Toronto, which I have received since writing of the artist above, will be of interest: "His father was a court painter under the great Napoleon, and several of his pictures are now in Versailles. He was a Frenchman, and I think was in Vienna when his son, my old friend, was born; for I am under the impression Berthon told me he was born in Vienna. I think he was brought up in France, and went to London when comparatively young, and there set up as a portrait painter. He was induced to come out to Canada about the year 1843 or 1844, and settled in Toronto soon after, where he died about a year ago, over eighty years of age. He was certainly, when in his prime, the best portrait painter we ever had in Canada, and in my opinion was better than most of the men of great celebrity in London to-day."
The successful artists at the World's Fair, where 113 works in all were presented from Canada, were the following: Mr. G. Reid, whose great picture mentioned above could not fail to attract much notice, Mr. Harris, Mr. Ede, Miss Holden and Mr. J. A. Fraser. This is satisfactory in view of the fact that the best work of the majority of leading Canadian artists was not represented in the exhibition. Apart from Mr. Reid's painting, the pictures that were signalled out for special notice were not equal in some respects to other efforts of the same artists that have been seen in our annual exhibitions.
In closing this note I cannot do better than give the following judicious remarks on art in Canada, delivered before the Canadian Institute, by an able Canadian artist, J. W. L. Forster: "The art of Canada to-day is a mingling of elements.... The influence of the old world may be seen in the work of many who cherish still the precepts of their masters. Yet it is due to those who have adopted Canada as their home to say they are as Canadian in the faithful reproduction of the pure glories of our climate as those who first saw the sun in our own sky. Our native artists who have studied abroad are much inclined to paint a Canadian sky with the haze of Western Europe, and our verdure, too, as though it grew upon foreign soil. Our art is not Canadian.... Material is certainly not wanting, nor motif of the grander order. The first requisite is for a stronger national spirit. Events are slowly developing this; and the signs are full of promise in this direction. The second great need is for a museum equipped with well-chosen specimens of the world's art. Our government and citizens are establishing schools of industrial and fine art, yet when we would point our pupils to examples of pure art, lo! there are none; and when we would know what art has been, in order to discover what art may be, we must go as exiles and pilgrims to foreign cities. A museum that gives the best of their art history and achievement will greatly strengthen our hope and give rein to our ambition. A third need is for capable and generous criticism. There are many men whose discernment and sympathies fit them eminently for the role of art critic; but as yet journalism has not opened wide the door to advancement in such a specialty."
ARCHITECTURAL ART.
[64a] Page 57.—While Canadian architecture is generally wanting in originality of conception, yet it affords many good illustrations of the effective adaptation of the best art of Europe to the principal edifices of the large cities. These are the most noteworthy public buildings:
In Ottawa.—The parliament and departmental buildings, admirable examples of Italian Gothic of the 13th century, with a fine central tower, the effect of which has been marred by a later tower in the western block out of harmony with the general design of an otherwise perfect group.