Henry Sandham
Encyclopedia
Henry "Hy" Sandham was a Canadian painter and illustrator. He was the brother of author and numismatist Alfred Sandham.
, Quebec
, Sandham decided at an early age to pursue an artistic career, and was employed in William Notman
's photographic studio at the age of 14. By 18, he was an assistant to Notman's partner John Arthur Fraser, who managed the studio's art department. As there was no art school in Montreal at the time, Sandham learned his craft from Fraser, as well as local artists Otto Reinhold Jacobi
, Adolphe Vogt, and Charles Jones Way. When Fraser left Montreal in 1868 to open a Toronto branch of Notman and Fraser, Sandham became the new head of the art department. He became partners
with Notman in 1877 and the studio was renamed Notman and Sandham. This partnership lasted until 1882.
The Notman studio was renowned for its composite photographs
, consisting of carefully posed photographs of individuals mounted on painted backgrounds, a technique devised by Sandham. One particularly challenging composite, consisting of more than 300 separate people, won an award at the 1878 Exposition Universelle
in Paris.
In 1877, he began doing illustrations for Scribner’s Monthly
, with his first piece accompanying an article by William George Beers
. He then followed up with his own article in November 1878, and illustrations for a four-part series by George Monro Grant
in 1880. All of these efforts led him to be named a charter member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts
, founded in 1880.
In early 1880, Sandham and his wife Agnes Fraser, the sister of his mentor, whom he had married in 1865, toured England and France. In December, they were visiting Boston
, Massachusetts
, intending only stay for a short while to complete some portrait commission
s, but instead they ended up staying there for nearly twenty years. It was at this time when he decided to focus more on art and less on business. In 1882, The Century Magazine
(the successor to Scribner's) sent him on assignment with Helen Hunt Jackson
to Southern California
to investigate the lives of Mission Indians
. That work was published in 1883 and eventually formed the basis of her 1884 best-selling novel Ramona
, for which Sandham also supplied illustrations (in a 1900 edition). Besides his illustrations, he was also known for portraits, including one of Canadian Prime Minister John A. Macdonald
, and his historic paintings. During his period in Boston, his works were regularly shown at the Boston Art Club
and the American Watercolor Society
of New York, and he exhibited at the World's Columbian Exposition
(1893), Cotton States and International Exposition
(1895), and Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition
(1897).
Sandham moved to London in 1901, and continued his career there, with works shown at the Royal Academy of Arts from 1905 to 1908. His wife died in 1906, and he died in 1910. He is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery
.
Biography
Born in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Sandham decided at an early age to pursue an artistic career, and was employed in William Notman
William Notman
William Notman was a Canadian photographer and businessman.Notman was born in Paisley, Scotland in 1826, the same year in which photography was born in France. William Notman moved to Montreal in 1856. An amateur photographer, he quickly established a flourishing professional photography studio on...
's photographic studio at the age of 14. By 18, he was an assistant to Notman's partner John Arthur Fraser, who managed the studio's art department. As there was no art school in Montreal at the time, Sandham learned his craft from Fraser, as well as local artists Otto Reinhold Jacobi
Otto Reinhold Jacobi
Otto Reinhold Jacobi was a German-Canadian artist.In 1830 Jacobi studied in Berlin at the Royal Academy of Arts. He then studied at the Dusseldorf Art Academy with Johann Wilhelm Schirmer. As a landscape and genre painter, he worked in Nassau and Canada...
, Adolphe Vogt, and Charles Jones Way. When Fraser left Montreal in 1868 to open a Toronto branch of Notman and Fraser, Sandham became the new head of the art department. He became partners
Partnership
A partnership is an arrangement where parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests.Since humans are social beings, partnerships between individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, schools, governments, and varied combinations thereof, have always been and remain commonplace...
with Notman in 1877 and the studio was renamed Notman and Sandham. This partnership lasted until 1882.
The Notman studio was renowned for its composite photographs
Compositing
Compositing is the combining of visual elements from separate sources into single images, often to create the illusion that all those elements are parts of the same scene. Live-action shooting for compositing is variously called "chroma key", "blue screen", "green screen" and other names. Today,...
, consisting of carefully posed photographs of individuals mounted on painted backgrounds, a technique devised by Sandham. One particularly challenging composite, consisting of more than 300 separate people, won an award at the 1878 Exposition Universelle
Exposition Universelle (1878)
The third Paris World's Fair, called an Exposition Universelle in French, was held from 1 May through to 10 November 1878. It celebrated the recovery of France after the 1870 Franco-Prussian War.-Construction:...
in Paris.
In 1877, he began doing illustrations for Scribner’s Monthly
Scribner’s Monthly
Scribner's Monthly: An Illustrated Magazine for the People was an American literary periodical published from 1870 until 1881.-History:Charles Scribner I, Andrew Armstrong, Arthur Peabody, Edward Seymour, Josiah Gilbert Holland, and Roswell Smith established "Scribner & Co." on July 19, 1870 to...
, with his first piece accompanying an article by William George Beers
William George Beers
William George Beers , a noted Canadian dentist and patriot, is referred to as the "father of modern lacrosse" for his work establishing the first set of playing rules for the game.-Lacrosse:...
. He then followed up with his own article in November 1878, and illustrations for a four-part series by George Monro Grant
George Monro Grant
George Monro Grant, C.M.G. was a Canadian church minister, writer, and political activist. He served as principal of Queen's College, Kingston, Ontario for 25 years, from 1877 until 1902.-Early life, education:...
in 1880. All of these efforts led him to be named a charter member of 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...
, founded in 1880.
In early 1880, Sandham and his wife Agnes Fraser, the sister of his mentor, whom he had married in 1865, toured England and France. In December, they were visiting Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, intending only stay for a short while to complete some portrait commission
Commission (art)
In art, a commission is the hiring and payment for the creation of a piece, often on behalf of another.In classical music, ensembles often commission pieces from composers, where the ensemble secures the composer's payment from private or public organizations or donors.- Commissions for public art...
s, but instead they ended up staying there for nearly twenty years. It was at this time when he decided to focus more on art and less on business. In 1882, The Century Magazine
The Century Magazine
The Century Magazine was first published in the United States in 1881 by The Century Company of New York City as a successor to Scribner's Monthly Magazine...
(the successor to Scribner's) sent him on assignment with Helen Hunt Jackson
Helen Hunt Jackson
Helen Maria Hunt Jackson, born Helen Fiske , was a United States writer who became an activist on behalf of improved treatment of Native Americans by the U.S. government. She detailed the adverse effects of government actions in her history A Century of Dishonor...
to Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
to investigate the lives of Mission Indians
Mission Indians
Mission Indians is a term for many Native California tribes, primarily living in coastal plains, adjacent inland valleys and mountains, and on the Channel Islands in central and southern California, United States. The tribes had established comparatively peaceful cultures varying from 250 to 8,000...
. That work was published in 1883 and eventually formed the basis of her 1884 best-selling novel Ramona
Ramona
Ramona is a 1884 United States historical novel written by Helen Hunt Jackson. It is the story of a Scots-Native American orphan girl in Southern California, who suffers racial discrimination and hardship. Originally serialized in the Christian Union on a weekly basis, the novel became immensely...
, for which Sandham also supplied illustrations (in a 1900 edition). Besides his illustrations, he was also known for portraits, including one of Canadian Prime Minister John A. Macdonald
John A. Macdonald
Sir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC, PC , QC was the first Prime Minister of Canada. The dominant figure of Canadian Confederation, his political career spanned almost half a century...
, and his historic paintings. During his period in Boston, his works were regularly shown at the Boston Art Club
Boston Art Club
The Boston Art Club, Boston, Massachusetts, for nearly 157 years, serves as a nexus for Members and non Members to access the world of Fine Art. Currently more than 250 members maintain an active environment for the support and promotion of these works....
and the American Watercolor Society
American Watercolor Society
The American Watercolor Society is a nonprofit membership organization devoted to the advancement of watercolor painting in the United States. It was founded in 1866 by eleven painters and, originally, was known as the American Society of Painters in Water Colors...
of New York, and he exhibited at the World's Columbian Exposition
World's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition was a World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St...
(1893), Cotton States and International Exposition
Cotton States and International Exposition (1895)
The 1895 Cotton States and International Exposition was held at the current Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Georgia. It is most remembered for the speech given by Booker T. Washington on September 18, 1895....
(1895), and Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition
Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition
The Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition was an exposition staged between May 1 and October 31 of 1897 in Nashville. It celebrated the 100th anniversary of Tennessee's entry into the union in 1796, although it was a year late....
(1897).
Sandham moved to London in 1901, and continued his career there, with works shown at the Royal Academy of Arts from 1905 to 1908. His wife died in 1906, and he died in 1910. He is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery
Kensal Green Cemetery
Kensal Green Cemetery is a cemetery in Kensal Green, in the west of London, England. It was immortalised in the lines of G. K. Chesterton's poem The Rolling English Road from his book The Flying Inn: "For there is good news yet to hear and fine things to be seen; Before we go to Paradise by way of...
.
Associations
- Art Association of Montreal
- Society of Canadian Artists
- Ontario Society of ArtistsOntario Society of ArtistsFounded 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...
- Royal Canadian Academy of ArtsRoyal Canadian Academy of ArtsThe 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...
- Copley Society
- Paint and Clay Club
- Boston Society of Watercolor Painters
- Boston Art ClubBoston Art ClubThe Boston Art Club, Boston, Massachusetts, for nearly 157 years, serves as a nexus for Members and non Members to access the world of Fine Art. Currently more than 250 members maintain an active environment for the support and promotion of these works....