English Colonial period .281759.E2.80.931867.29 Canadian art

1 english colonial period (1759–1867)

1.1 british army topographers
1.2 lower canada s golden age
1.3 krieghoff , kane

english colonial period (1759–1867)

a view of montreal in canada, taken isle st. helena in 1762

by thomas davies


british army topographers

the battle quebec left numerous british soldiers garrisoned in strategic locations in territory. while off-duty, many of these soldiers sketched , painted canadian land , people, sold in european markets hungry exotic, picturesque views of colonies. furthermore, drawing required soldiers record land, photography had not been invented. thomas davies championed 1 of talented. davies recorded capture of louisburg , montreal among other scenes. scottish-born george heriot 1 of first artist-soldiers settle in canada , later produced travels through canadas in 1807 filled aquatint prints. forshaw day worked draftsman @ majesty s naval yard 1862–79 in halifax, nova scotia moved kingston, ontario teach drawing @ royal military college of canada 1879–97.

lower canada s golden age

in late 18th century, art in lower canada began prosper due larger number of commissions public , church construction. portrait painting in particular recognized period, allowed higher degree of innovation , change. françois baillairgé 1 of first of generation of artists. returned montreal in 1781 after studying sculpture in london , paris. rococo style influenced several lower canadian artists aimed style s light , carefree painting. however, baillairgé did not embrace rococo, instead focusing on sculpture , teaching influenced neoclassicism.

lower canada s artists evolved independently france connection severed during french revolution , napoleonic wars. while not living in lower canada, william berczy participated in period s artistic growth. immigrated canada saxony , completed several important portraits of leading figures. example, painted 3 portraits of joseph brant , best known work woolsley family, painted in quebec city in 1808–09. title suggests, work features full-length portraits of members of woolsley family. celebrated in part because of complex arrangement of figures, decorative floor panels, , detailed view of landscape through open window. art historian j. russell harper believes era of canadian art first develop canadian character.

a second generation of artists continued flourishing of artistic growth beginning around 1820s. joseph légaré trained decorative , copy painter. however, did not inhibit artistic creativity 1 of first canadian artists depict local landscape. légaré best known depictions of disasters such cholera plagues, rocks slides, , fires. antoine plamondon, student of légaré, went on study in france, first french canadian artist in 48 years. plamondon went on become successful artist in period, largely through religious , portrait commissions.

krieghoff , kane

cornelius krieghoff, indian wigwam in lower canada, national gallery of canada.

the works of canadian painters heavily influenced european trends. during mid-19th century, cornelius krieghoff, dutch born artist in quebec, painted scenes of life of habitants (french-canadian farmers). @ same time, canadian artist paul kane painted pictures of indigenous life around great lakes, western canada , oregon territories.