Charlotte Schreiber
Encyclopedia
Charlotte Mount Brock Schreiber (1834–1922) was an English-Canadian painter and illustrator, considered among the first and finest of Canada's female painters.
Schreiber, née Morrell, was born in Essex, England. She initially studied at an art school in London with a teacher who had a background in surgery, which informed her careful observation of, and interest in, the human form: she wrote in 1895, "The human hand, the finger nail, the foot, every portion of the living body, the parts of a flower, are divinely beautiful … it is a joy to paint them as they are in reality". She later studied under John Rogers Herbert
, a member of the British Royal Academy of Art. Schreiber exhibited at the Royal Academy at the age of only 21. In 1875 she married and emigrated to Canada with her husband, settling in the area of Toronto. She was soon appointed a board member of the Ontario School of Art, and was a member of the Ontario Society of Artists
(1876–1889).
Schreiber was the first female elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts
. The National Gallery of Canada
holds the painting that she submitted toward her Academy diploma. Titled The Croppy Boy (The Confession of an Irish Patriot), it is based on the Irish ballad "The Croppy Boy
", which was popular during the Irish rebellion of the 1790s
. It tells the story of a youth who stops in a church to confess his sins as he prepares for the battle of Wexford
. His audience, however, is not a Catholic priest, but a disguised British soldier who arrests him and takes him for execution. The painting shows the youth on his knees, earnestly addressing the cloaked soldier, whose uniform is visible to the viewer but not to the penitent. The two figures are united by the red in their clothing, but the soldier occupies the shadowy portion of the canvas, with the youth on the lighter side, perhaps suggesting Schreiber's sympathies.
Her art was influenced by literature, including her early illustrations of poems by Chaucer (The Legende of the Knight of the Red Crosse), Edmund Spenser
(The Faerie Queene
, illustrated 1871), and Elizabeth Barrett Browning
(The Rhyme of the Duchess May, 1874).
Schreiber moved back to England in 1898 after the death of her husband, and she died in Paignton
, South Devon, England in 1922.
Schreiber, née Morrell, was born in Essex, England. She initially studied at an art school in London with a teacher who had a background in surgery, which informed her careful observation of, and interest in, the human form: she wrote in 1895, "The human hand, the finger nail, the foot, every portion of the living body, the parts of a flower, are divinely beautiful … it is a joy to paint them as they are in reality". She later studied under John Rogers Herbert
John Rogers Herbert
John Rogers Herbert, RA was an English painter who is most notable as a precursor of Pre-Raphaelitism.-Early career:John Rogers Herbert was born in Maldon, Essex. In 1826, he moved to London to study at the Royal Academy...
, a member of the British Royal Academy of Art. Schreiber exhibited at the Royal Academy at the age of only 21. In 1875 she married and emigrated to Canada with her husband, settling in the area of Toronto. She was soon appointed a board member of the Ontario School of Art, and was a member of the Ontario Society of Artists
Ontario Society of Artists
Founded in 1872, the Ontario Society of Artists is Canada's oldest continuously operating art society. The list of objectives drawn up by the founding executive included 'the fostering of Original Art in the province, the holding of Annual Exhibitions, and formation of an Art Library and Museum...
(1876–1889).
Schreiber was the first female elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts
Royal Canadian Academy of Arts
The Royal Canadian Academy of Arts is a Canadian arts-related institution founded in 1880, under the patronage of the Governor General of Canada, Sir John Douglas Sutherland Campbell, the Marquess of Lorne. Canadian landscape painter Homer Watson was a member and president of the Academy...
. The National Gallery of Canada
National 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...
holds the painting that she submitted toward her Academy diploma. Titled The Croppy Boy (The Confession of an Irish Patriot), it is based on the Irish ballad "The Croppy Boy
The Croppy Boy
"The Croppy Boy" is an Irish ballad set in 1798 rising and is one of the saddest ballads of the rebellion, relating the despair of a doomed young "croppy" or rebel.-Broadside versions:...
", which was popular during the Irish rebellion of the 1790s
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
. It tells the story of a youth who stops in a church to confess his sins as he prepares for the battle of Wexford
Wexford Rebellion
The Wexford Rebellion refers to the outbreak in County Wexford, Ireland in May 1798 of a United Irishmen rebellion against the English domination of Ireland. It was the most successful and most destructive of all the uprisings that occurred throughout Ireland during the Irish Rebellion of 1798,...
. His audience, however, is not a Catholic priest, but a disguised British soldier who arrests him and takes him for execution. The painting shows the youth on his knees, earnestly addressing the cloaked soldier, whose uniform is visible to the viewer but not to the penitent. The two figures are united by the red in their clothing, but the soldier occupies the shadowy portion of the canvas, with the youth on the lighter side, perhaps suggesting Schreiber's sympathies.
Her art was influenced by literature, including her early illustrations of poems by Chaucer (The Legende of the Knight of the Red Crosse), Edmund Spenser
Edmund Spenser
Edmund Spenser was an English poet best known for The Faerie Queene, an epic poem and fantastical allegory celebrating the Tudor dynasty and Elizabeth I. He is recognised as one of the premier craftsmen of Modern English verse in its infancy, and one of the greatest poets in the English...
(The Faerie Queene
The Faerie Queene
The Faerie Queene is an incomplete English epic poem by Edmund Spenser. The first half was published in 1590, and a second installment was published in 1596. The Faerie Queene is notable for its form: it was the first work written in Spenserian stanza and is one of the longest poems in the English...
, illustrated 1871), and Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Elizabeth Barrett Browning was one of the most prominent poets of the Victorian era. Her poetry was widely popular in both England and the United States during her lifetime. A collection of her last poems was published by her husband, Robert Browning, shortly after her death.-Early life:Members...
(The Rhyme of the Duchess May, 1874).
Schreiber moved back to England in 1898 after the death of her husband, and she died in Paignton
Paignton
Paignton is a coastal town in Devon in England. Together with Torquay and Brixham it forms the unitary authority of Torbay which was created in 1998. The Torbay area is a holiday destination known as the English Riviera. Paignton's population in the United Kingdom Census of 2001 was 48,251. It has...
, South Devon, England in 1922.
External links
- Schreiber gallery at the National Gallery of Canada
- Canadian Women Artists History Initiative includes an extensive bibliography