Thomas Mower Martin
Encyclopedia
Thomas Mower Martin was an English-born Canadian landscape painter dubbed "the father of Canadian art"
, England, the son of Edward H. Martin, sub-treasurer of the Inner Temple
, and Susan
Abernethy. He was educated at various schools and lastly, the Military school in Enfield
his father wanted him to become a soldier with the East India Company. But he was orphaned at 15 years of age, lived with an aunt who supported his desire to not proceed with military life and leave school to become a carpenter and draughtsman. He had had a hobby of sketching and painting, for several years and now, took part-time instruction at the South Kensington Schools
in London but was mostly self taught in art.
He found life in London unpleasant, was restless for a healthier life style and took advantage of the Canadian Government's offer of 107 acre (0.43301402 km²) of land to enable him to immigrate and be a pioneer settler. He married Emma Nichols (1842–1911) - they went on to have nine children. In 1862 they emigrated to Canada and built a small house in Muskoka, Ontario. Farming proved impossible because of the poor quality of the land and so the family moved and settled in Toronto
, where Mower Martin soon became an established professional painter.
Martin produced landscapes, animals, still life
s and portraits in oils
, watercolours and etchings. He was one of a group of artists given passes by the Canadian Pacific Railway
to paint landscapes in western Canada - they became known as the "Railway Painters". Earlier he had travelled and painted landscapes through eastern Canada and the United States, and also provided illustrations for two books by A & C Black
, CANADA
and Kew Gardens. He was a founding member of the Ontario Society of Artists
in 1872, and charter member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts
in 1880, and was also a member of the Royal British Colonial Society of Artists (1909). Mower Martin exhibited widely as an artist during his lifetime and his works can be found in many public and private collections, including Windsor Castle in England.
Martin was a member of the Swedenborgian church
and wrote philosophical leaflets for the organisation. He died at the age of 96 in 1934.
Life and work
Martin was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England, the son of Edward H. Martin, sub-treasurer of the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
, and Susan
Abernethy. He was educated at various schools and lastly, the Military school in Enfield
London Borough of Enfield
The London Borough of Enfield is the most northerly London borough and forms part of Outer London. It borders the London Boroughs of Barnet, Haringey and Waltham Forest...
his father wanted him to become a soldier with the East India Company. But he was orphaned at 15 years of age, lived with an aunt who supported his desire to not proceed with military life and leave school to become a carpenter and draughtsman. He had had a hobby of sketching and painting, for several years and now, took part-time instruction at the South Kensington Schools
Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
in London but was mostly self taught in art.
He found life in London unpleasant, was restless for a healthier life style and took advantage of the Canadian Government's offer of 107 acre (0.43301402 km²) of land to enable him to immigrate and be a pioneer settler. He married Emma Nichols (1842–1911) - they went on to have nine children. In 1862 they emigrated to Canada and built a small house in Muskoka, Ontario. Farming proved impossible because of the poor quality of the land and so the family moved and settled in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, where Mower Martin soon became an established professional painter.
Martin produced landscapes, animals, still life
Still life
A still life is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which may be either natural or man-made...
s and portraits in oils
Oil painting
Oil painting is the process of painting with pigments that are bound with a medium of drying oil—especially in early modern Europe, linseed oil. Often an oil such as linseed was boiled with a resin such as pine resin or even frankincense; these were called 'varnishes' and were prized for their body...
, watercolours and etchings. He was one of a group of artists given passes by the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
to paint landscapes in western Canada - they became known as the "Railway Painters". Earlier he had travelled and painted landscapes through eastern Canada and the United States, and also provided illustrations for two books by A & C Black
A & C Black
A & C Black is a British book publishing company.The firm was founded in 1807 by Adam and Charles Black in Edinburgh, and moved to the Soho district of London in 1889. In 1851, the firm bought the copyright of Walter Scott's Waverley Novels for £27,000. In 1902 it published P. G...
, CANADA
Cañada
The Spanish word cañada means glen; it is etymologically unrelated to Canada, which is derived from an Iroquois word meaning "village" or "settlement" and generally refers to the country in North America...
and Kew Gardens. He was a founding 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...
in 1872, and 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...
in 1880, and was also a member of the Royal British Colonial Society of Artists (1909). Mower Martin exhibited widely as an artist during his lifetime and his works can be found in many public and private collections, including Windsor Castle in England.
Martin was a member of the Swedenborgian church
The New Church
The New Church is the name for a New religious movement developed from the writings of the Swedish scientist and theologian Emanuel Swedenborg . Swedenborg claimed to have received a new revelation from Jesus Christ through continuous heavenly visions which he experienced over a period of at least...
and wrote philosophical leaflets for the organisation. He died at the age of 96 in 1934.
Illustrated books
- Campbell, Wilfred. Canada (A & C Black, 1907).
- Moncrieff, A. R. Hope. Kew gardens (A & C Black, 1908).
- Bealby, J. T. Peeps at many lands: Canada. (A & C Black, 1909).
- Graeme, Toni Father of Canadian Art(TGraeme Enterprises,2009).
Further reading
- Macdonald, Colin S. A Dictionary of Canadian Artists, Volume 4 (Canadian Paperbacks Pub., 1989)
- Lerner, Loren Ruth & Williamson, Mary F. Art and architecture in Canada (University of Toronto Press, 1991) p664.
External links
- Thomas Mower Martin (Biog at "Meibohm Fine Arts").
- Mower Martin archive (Glenbow MuseumGlenbow MuseumThe Glenbow Museum in Calgary is one of Western Canada's largest museums, with over 93,000 square feet of exhibition space in more than 20 galleries, showcasing a selection of the Glenbow's collection of over a million objects....
) - http://www.thomasmowermartin.com