A special branch of the association is the art school under the direction of Mr. William Brymner, president of the Royal Canadian Academy, who has associated with him Maurice Cullen, R.C.A., and Miss Alberta Cleland. In addition might be added the series of lectures that are given each season by specialists on the different branches of art. Outside the convents, the principal school of art attended by French pupils is the School of Arts and Manufactures which is held in the Monument National. This school was founded by the Abbé Chabert in 1860, who at one time had been a successful professor of arts at the Ottawa College. He made the school one of the best in Canada and many well known artists of today received their first instruction in this school.
Coming to the personnel of art, Montreal has in Louis Philippe Hébert one who takes a high place among Canadian sculptors. His work, many examples of which are on the public squares of the city, is equally a monument to his genius as to those whom he portrayed in bronze and stone. When the honour of C.M.G. was conferred upon him by King Edward in 1903 it was felt that the representative of Canadian art was well chosen. Another fine Canadian artist who has for many years made Montreal his home is Mr. Robert Harris, also a C.M.G., a former president of the R.C.A. Among other Montreal artists are Napoleon Bourassa, decorator and architect of the Church of Notre Dame de Lourdes and others; George William Hill, the designer and sculptor of the Cartier memorial and many other monuments.
Among other artistic associations is the Woman’s Art Society, which was founded in 1893 to encourage art amongst its members and to assist kindred societies. Thus it presented a scholarship to the Art Association for competition in the schools, and cooperates with the Canadian Handicrafts Guild, which was established in 1906 to encourage, retain, revive and develop handicrafts and home art industries throughout the Dominion. This guild with headquarters in Montreal, has as patrons T.R.H. the Duke and Duchess of Connaught with a large general committee and honorary council of men and women who give their time ungrudgingly in the interests of homely crafts which are in these days of materialism and utilitarism in danger of extinction.
The Château de Ramezay, as the home of the Antiquarian Society, has many historical records of the art of the past, the chief features being in the Elgin room, where are many historical portraits and relics, including the bell of Louisburg and the “Montreal” Room, where a valuable series of historical maps and pictures of the city is preserved; while the council chamber, the salon, the parloir, the vaults, the kitchen, and the bakery are all reminiscent of the early days of the city.
There is also the valuable private collection of Mr. R. McCord at Templegrove, known as McCord’s National Museum. It is to be hoped that such collections will be gradually acquired for the public.
The Royal Academy of Arts, of which the director of the school attached to the Art Association is president, has an exhibition of paintings every four years in Montreal.
We may here mention the Royal Society of Canada, which has a literary and scientific, as well as an artistic, scope and which held its meetings in Montreal this year (1914), being largely associated with the city because of its first meeting in 1882 taking place here and the first executive being principally residents of Montreal. Its first president was the late Sir William Dawson of McGill, and the first vice president the Hon. Dr. P.J.O. Chauveau, LL. D., and amongst the charter members appear the names of N. Bourassa, Louis Frechette, LL. D., John L’Esperance, John Reade, J. Clark Murray, Sir A.B. Routhier and other Montrealers. This year’s president is Dr. Adams of McGill.
In reviewing this chapter one would say that the City of Montreal since it became the home of civilization has had great opportunities to enrich itself artistically and mentally, because of the environments of romance that surround it and the atmosphere of cultured men and women, who in each generation have breathed its air. The citizens are essentially lovers of everything that will raise the standard of intellectual living, but the temptation to the present generation to pursue more seriously material success, has detracted somewhat from the claims of literature and art as a valuable possession and a title to distinction. Art, literature and culture have too few patrons to endow struggling works which, if fostered, would be a lasting memorial and satisfaction to their donors and benefactors. Yet this failing is but temporary for with the passing away of the false opulence begotten of real estate booms and financial speculations, the people will come back to their real love, and art and literature with the love of the true, the good, and the beautiful in life, will take their proper place in the composite life of Montreal.
For the sake of recording the names of those who have left a reputation as artists at Montreal and Quebec the following notes may be preserved:
Père André Pierron, S.J., before 1673; Frère Luc, a Récollet; Père Pommier, about the same time; Pierre Leber; Jean Antoine Créque, born 1749, died 1780; * De Beaucourt, born about 1735; * Louis Dulogpré, worked in Montreal and Quebec from about 1790-1830; * William Van Moll Berczy, painted in Montreal from about 1800-1818;—— Audy, from about 1804-1830; Joseph Legare, born 1795, was working in 1826; * Antoine Plamandon, born about 1800, lived nearly through the century; * Cornelius Kreighoff, born 1814, died 1872; James Duncan, born 1806, died 1881; * William Sawyer, born 1820, died 1889; * Théophile Hamel, born 1814, died 1870; * Adolphe Vogt, born 1842, died 1870; * Allan Edson, born 1846, died 1888; * Wyatt Eaton, born 1849, died 1896; * O. R. Jacobi, born 1812, died 1901;—— Hawksett; * William Raphael, died 1914; * John Pinhey, died about 1911; * Henry Sandham, born 1842, died 1910; * Henri Julien, born 1846, died 1908.