Charles Comfort
Encyclopedia
Charles Fraser Comfort, (1900 – July 5, 1994) was a Canadian
painter, sculptor, teacher, writer and administrator.
in 1912 with his family. His father found work with the treasury department for the city of Winnipeg. Comfort as the eldest child had to work from a young age to help support his family. The following year he began work as a commercial artist at Brigden (St. Clair, Ontario
)’s Studio in Winnipeg, and by 1916 Comfort started attending evening classes at the Winnipeg School of Art.
Comfort saved money to attend the Art Students League of New York
under Robert Henri
and Euphrasius Tucker. Still working part-time for Brigden's commercial studio, he was temporarily transferred to Toronto in 1919. While in Toronto, Comfort joined the Arts and Letters Club, taking life-study classes and meeting members of the Group of Seven
. Comfort visited the Group’s inaugural 1920 exhibition, which inspired Comfort to work on landscape paintings, a theme he continued throughout his lifetime.
Comfort returned to Winnipeg in 1922 for his first exhibition of watercolours at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. During this time, he met LeMoine Fitzgerald
and Walter J. Phillips
. It was not until 1925 that Comfort painted his first oil painting, when he returned to Toronto where he befriended Will Ogilvie
, who may have influenced this switch to oil. In 1928 he painted a striking watercolour portrait of violinist Alexander Chuhaldin
with his Amati
violin, with a copy of the Natalia Goncharova
set design for Le Coq d'Or in the background (painting now in the Art Gallery of Hamilton
).
In the 1930s, Comfort regularly worked as a commercial illustrator as well as a teacher at the Ontario College of Art and Design from 1935-1938. He subsequently held by a teaching position at the University of Toronto
, a post he continued after the war until 1960. He taught primarily painting techniques, including mural-painting, and other studio courses later in his career at the university.
He was commissioned to design a mural for Toronto’s North American Life Building in 1932, the first in many he completed. The following year he met the American Precisionist Charles Sheeler
. One of the artist’s most celebrated works, Tadoussac of 1935, suggests the influence of Sheeler due to its clear crisp colours and shapes.
In 1936, Comfort rented a studio next to a room occupied by A. Y. Jackson
, in the Studio Building
, a warehouse made famous by the Group of Seven
artists, and the following year he designed the frieze for the Toronto Stock Exchange
. Comfort helped initiate Canada’s WWII War Art program and served as an official war artist in World War II, leaving an important body of work that records Canada's war effort abroad. He was one of the organizers of the 1941 Kingston Conference, a meeting of Canadian artists to discuss the role of art in society as well as other issues facing the arts at the time. Furthermore, he was a founding member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and contributed to the 1951 Massey Report, which lead to the founding of the Canada Council
. an organization that Comfort helped establish.
from 1959 until 1965. He was also a founding member of the Canadian Society of Graphic Art, Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour, and Canadian Group of Painters
, and held executive positions in a number of art organizations. He received an honorary doctorate from Mount Allison University
in 1958. His extensive involvement during his life with artist's organizations inficates his strong belief in the importance of art integrated within society. In 1972, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
.
The Canadian National Railway
commissioned Captain Vancouver for Hotel Vancouver in 1939. After months of research and planning, Comfort decided to depict a hypothetical encounter between Captain George Vancouver and an unnamed Indian chief at a potlatch
ceremony. Comfort researched the clothing of the era and consulted Aboriginal anthropologist Dr. Marius Barbeau
and others. The painting was removed in 1969 when the hotel was renovated. The wife of Governor General of Canada Roland Michener
discovered the work after it was briefly misplaced and donated it to the University of British Columbia
. From this time aboriginal viewers have raised concern over the representation of the First Nations people, as Captain Vancouver physically stands triumphantly over the aboriginal men.
In 1997, Kwakiutl
artist David Neel
made the Captain Vancouver Portrait Mask, a carved mixed-media mask of the captain. Neel made this work to critique the mural and its depiction of First Nations history and society. Also in 1997, Edmonton-based artist Jane Ash Poitras painted a new mural representing the same scene with the intention to critique and re-negotiate Comfort’s depiction of First Nations people.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
painter, sculptor, teacher, writer and administrator.
Early life
Born near Edinburgh, Scotland, Comfort moved to WinnipegWinnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
in 1912 with his family. His father found work with the treasury department for the city of Winnipeg. Comfort as the eldest child had to work from a young age to help support his family. The following year he began work as a commercial artist at Brigden (St. Clair, Ontario
St. Clair, Ontario
St. Clair is a township in southwestern Ontario, Canada, immediately south of Sarnia in Lambton County, along the eastern shores of the St. Clair River.- Communities :...
)’s Studio in Winnipeg, and by 1916 Comfort started attending evening classes at the Winnipeg School of Art.
Comfort saved money to attend the Art Students League of New York
Art Students League of New York
The Art Students League of New York is an art school located on West 57th Street in New York City. The League has historically been known for its broad appeal to both amateurs and professional artists, and has maintained for over 130 years a tradition of offering reasonably priced classes on a...
under Robert Henri
Robert Henri
Robert Henri was an American painter and teacher. He was a leading figure of the Ashcan School in art.- Early life :...
and Euphrasius Tucker. Still working part-time for Brigden's commercial studio, he was temporarily transferred to Toronto in 1919. While in Toronto, Comfort joined the Arts and Letters Club, taking life-study classes and meeting members of the Group of Seven
Group of Seven (artists)
The Group of Seven, sometimes known as the Algonquin school, were a group of Canadian landscape painters from 1920-1933, originally consisting of Franklin Carmichael , Lawren Harris , A. Y. Jackson , Franz Johnston , Arthur Lismer , J. E. H. MacDonald , and Frederick Varley...
. Comfort visited the Group’s inaugural 1920 exhibition, which inspired Comfort to work on landscape paintings, a theme he continued throughout his lifetime.
Comfort returned to Winnipeg in 1922 for his first exhibition of watercolours at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. During this time, he met LeMoine Fitzgerald
LeMoine Fitzgerald
Lionel LeMoine Fitzgerald was a Winnipeg-based Canadian painter, and member of the Group of Seven.-Life and work:...
and Walter J. Phillips
Walter J. Phillips
Walter Joseph Phillips was an English-born Canadian painter and woodcutter, acclaimed as one of Canada's most famous printmakers and for popularizing the colour woodcut in the style of the Japanese....
. It was not until 1925 that Comfort painted his first oil painting, when he returned to Toronto where he befriended Will Ogilvie
Will Ogilvie
William Abernethy Ogilvie, was a Canadian painter and war artist.In 1979, he was made a member of the Order of Canada.-References:* at Library and Archives Canada...
, who may have influenced this switch to oil. In 1928 he painted a striking watercolour portrait of violinist Alexander Chuhaldin
Alexander Chuhaldin
Alexander Gregorovitch Chuhaldin was a Russian violinist, conductor, composer, and music educator. He spent his early career working in his native country but after 1927 he was active in Canada. His compositional output includes over 30 works for string orchestra; many of which were published by...
with his Amati
Amati
Amati is the name of a family of Italian violin makers, who flourished at Cremona from about 1549 to 1740.-Andrea Amati:Andrea Amati was not the earliest maker of violins whose instruments still survive today...
violin, with a copy of the Natalia Goncharova
Natalia Goncharova
Natalia Sergeevna Goncharova was a Russian avant-garde artist , painter, costume designer, writer, illustrator, and set designer. Her great-aunt was Natalia Pushkina, wife of the poet Alexander Pushkin.-Life and work:...
set design for Le Coq d'Or in the background (painting now in the Art Gallery of Hamilton
Art Gallery of Hamilton
Art Gallery of Hamilton, is located in the heart of downtown Hamilton, Ontario on King Street West and is one of Canada’s oldest galleries with a collection of over 9,000 works of art.-History:...
).
Mid-career and work as a war artist
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, a post he continued after the war until 1960. He taught primarily painting techniques, including mural-painting, and other studio courses later in his career at the university.
He was commissioned to design a mural for Toronto’s North American Life Building in 1932, the first in many he completed. The following year he met the American Precisionist Charles Sheeler
Charles Sheeler
Charles Rettew Sheeler, Jr. was an American artist. He is recognized as one of the founders of American modernism and one of the master photographers of the 20th century.-Early life and career:...
. One of the artist’s most celebrated works, Tadoussac of 1935, suggests the influence of Sheeler due to its clear crisp colours and shapes.
A. Y. Jackson
Alexander Young Jackson, was a Canadian painter and a founding member of the Group of Seven.- Early life and training :...
, in the Studio Building
Studio Building (Toronto)
The Studio Building in Toronto, Ontario, Canada was the home and working studio of several of the famous Group of Seven painters, their predecessors, and their artistic descendants, and is of enormous significance in the history of Canadian art...
, a warehouse made famous by the Group of Seven
Group of Seven (artists)
The Group of Seven, sometimes known as the Algonquin school, were a group of Canadian landscape painters from 1920-1933, originally consisting of Franklin Carmichael , Lawren Harris , A. Y. Jackson , Franz Johnston , Arthur Lismer , J. E. H. MacDonald , and Frederick Varley...
artists, and the following year he designed the frieze for the Toronto Stock Exchange
Toronto Stock Exchange
Toronto Stock Exchange is the largest stock exchange in Canada, the third largest in North America and the seventh largest in the world by market capitalisation. Based in Canada's largest city, Toronto, it is owned by and operated as a subsidiary of the TMX Group for the trading of senior equities...
. Comfort helped initiate Canada’s WWII War Art program and served as an official war artist in World War II, leaving an important body of work that records Canada's war effort abroad. He was one of the organizers of the 1941 Kingston Conference, a meeting of Canadian artists to discuss the role of art in society as well as other issues facing the arts at the time. Furthermore, he was a founding member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and contributed to the 1951 Massey Report, which lead to the founding of the Canada Council
Canada Council
The Canada Council for the Arts, commonly called the Canada Council, is a Crown Corporation established in 1957 to act as an arts council of the government of Canada, created to foster and promote the study and enjoyment of, and the production of works in, the arts. It funds Canadian artists and...
. an organization that Comfort helped establish.
Director of National Gallery 1960-65
After the war, Comfort served on the Board of Directors and various committees at the Art Gallery of Toronto, and was Director of the National Gallery of CanadaNational Gallery of Canada
The National Gallery of Canada , located in the capital city Ottawa, Ontario, is one of Canada's premier art galleries.The Gallery is now housed in a glass and granite building on Sussex Drive with a notable view of the Canadian Parliament buildings on Parliament Hill. The acclaimed structure was...
from 1959 until 1965. He was also a founding member of the Canadian Society of Graphic Art, Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour, and Canadian Group of Painters
Canadian Group of Painters
The Canadian Group of Painters was a collective of 28 painters from across Canada which came together as group in 1933. They succeeded the disbanded Group of Seven, whose paintings of the Canadian wilderness had been a strong influence on Canadian art....
, and held executive positions in a number of art organizations. He received an honorary doctorate from Mount Allison University
Mount Allison University
Mount Allison University is a primarily undergraduate Canadian liberal arts and science university situated in Sackville, New Brunswick. It is located about a half hour from the regional city of Moncton and 20 minutes from the Greater Moncton International Airport...
in 1958. His extensive involvement during his life with artist's organizations inficates his strong belief in the importance of art integrated within society. In 1972, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
.
First Nations criticism
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
commissioned Captain Vancouver for Hotel Vancouver in 1939. After months of research and planning, Comfort decided to depict a hypothetical encounter between Captain George Vancouver and an unnamed Indian chief at a potlatch
Potlatch
A potlatch is a gift-giving festival and primary economic system practiced by indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of Canada and United States. This includes Heiltsuk Nation, Haida, Nuxalk, Tlingit, Makah, Tsimshian, Nuu-chah-nulth, Kwakwaka'wakw, and Coast Salish cultures...
ceremony. Comfort researched the clothing of the era and consulted Aboriginal anthropologist Dr. Marius Barbeau
Marius Barbeau
Charles Marius Barbeau, , also known as C. Marius Barbeau, or more commonly simply Marius Barbeau, was a Canadian ethnographer and folklorist who is today considered a founder of Canadian anthropology...
and others. The painting was removed in 1969 when the hotel was renovated. The wife of Governor General of Canada Roland Michener
Roland Michener
Daniel Roland Michener , commonly known as Roland Michener, was a Canadian lawyer, politician, and diplomat who served as Governor General of Canada, the 20th since Canadian Confederation....
discovered the work after it was briefly misplaced and donated it to the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
. From this time aboriginal viewers have raised concern over the representation of the First Nations people, as Captain Vancouver physically stands triumphantly over the aboriginal men.
In 1997, Kwakiutl
Kwakiutl
The term Kwakiutl, historically applied to the entire Kwakwaka'wakw ethno-linguistic group of originally 28 tribes, comes from one of the Kwakwaka'wakw tribes, the Kwagu'ł or Kwagyeulth, at Fort Rupert, with whom Franz Boas did most of his anthropological work and whose Indian Act Band government...
artist David Neel
David Neel
David Neel is a Canadian writer, photographer, and artist who is a member of the Kwakwaka'wakw First Nation of coastal British Columbia.-Background:...
made the Captain Vancouver Portrait Mask, a carved mixed-media mask of the captain. Neel made this work to critique the mural and its depiction of First Nations history and society. Also in 1997, Edmonton-based artist Jane Ash Poitras painted a new mural representing the same scene with the intention to critique and re-negotiate Comfort’s depiction of First Nations people.