Arthur Rozaire (Arthur Dominique Rosaire)
1879-1922
Arthur Rozaire was born in Montreal, Quebec and was the son of a decorative designer. He first studied art at Council of Arts and Manufacturers under Edmond Dyonnet and later attended classes under William Brymner at the Art Association of Montreal. Rozaire also took lessons in Maurice Cullen’s studio and went on sketching trips with him in the Laurentians area. Through Cullen, Rozaire soon developed a strong love for painting on location and became particularly fond of landscapes. He started exhibiting at the Art Association of Montreal’s Spring Show in 1900 and did so regularly until 1917. The “z” in his name first appeared in 1900 after a misprint was made in the Spring Show catalogue and from that point on he signed his canvases as “Rozaire”.
In 1903, Rozaire married Margaret Isabella Stroud and they had six children. The family lived in Montreal while their summers were spent at a cottage in St. Adolphe d’Howard in the Laurentians. During those summers, Rozaire painted many landscapes throughout the Laurentians and made occasional sketching trips during the winters.
Starting in 1907, Rozaire exhibited at the annual shows of the Royal Canadian Academy on an almost regular basis until 1920. In 1910, one of Rozaire’s paintings was chosen for the June Crystal Palace Exhibition in London, England where the best of Canadian Fine Arts was shown. A month later, that same painting was chosen for participation at an exhibition of Canadian paintings held at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, England.
By 1913, Rozaire was receiving high praises from his peers and art critics, while getting favourable notice in the Canadian Press. In 1914, the National Gallery of Canada acquired a first work during the Royal Canadian Academy exhibition and later bought three other works in the years leading up to 1917. Rozaire was made an Associate of the Royal Canadian Academy in 1915 but at around this time he suffered from tuberculosis and had to spend time recuperating at his cottage in St. Adolphe d’Howard. After a year of convalescence, the family moved to southern California where the warm and dry climate would be beneficial for a full recovery.
The Rozaires arrived in Los Angeles in late 1917. At this time, the art market in southern California was thriving and Rozaire’s works and skills as a colorist were soon noticed and embraced by the artistic community of the city. During this period he kept exhibiting in Canada while also exhibiting elsewhere in the United States, including at the Exhibition of Paintings by Canadian Artists held at the City Art Museum in St. Louis (1918).
In June of 1919, Rozaire had his first one-man exhibition in the United States at the Ransom Gallery in Los Angeles. A month later, two works were showed at the Summer Exhibition of Paintings at the Museum of History, Science and Art in Los Angeles. He exhibited there again in June of 1921 with two American artists, Dana Bartlett and C. Bertram Hartman, and later with the California Art Club at their 12th annual exhibition during fall of 1921. That same year he also showed two paintings at the Second Annual Exhibition of the Painters and Sculptors Club and showed one painting at the Exhibition of the California Art Club of Los Angeles, held at the San Diego Museum’s Fine Arts Gallery. Still in 1921, he exhibited in Canada for the last time, participating in an exhibition of Canadian art organized by the National Gallery of Canada and held at the Public Library in Collingwood, Ontario.
As his popularity grew within the California artistic community, Rozaire was further active within the art circles and was eventually invited to judge the 12th Annual California Art Club Show in October of 1921 along with American artists Alson S. Clark and John Frost. The last exhibition in which he participated was the First Annual Competitive Exhibit of California Painters held at the Southwest Museum of Los Angeles in late 1921. The exhibition was extended for two weeks due to its record-breaking attendance. Rozaire’s works were shown besides paintings by some of the most celebrated artists of the day including Guy Rose, Joseph Kleitsch, William Wendt and Edgar Payne.
In early 1922, a severe case of pneumonia coupled with complications from tuberculosis caused Rozaire’s death on February 26, 1922. He died at the young age of 43.
Over the years, his name was associated with many other prominent Canadian artists such as M.-A. Suzor-Coté, Albert H. Robinson, A.Y. Jackson, Clarence Gagnon, William H. Clapp and his teachers, William Brymner and Maurice Cullen. After moving to the United States, Rozaire maintained ties with good friend William H. Clapp who had also moved to California and eventually became the director of the Oakland Art Gallery.
Collections:
- National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa, ON)
- Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (Montreal, QC)
- Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec (Quebec City, QC)
- Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (Halifax, NS)
- Art Gallery of Hamilton (Hamilton, ON)
- Musée d’Art de Joliette (Joliette, QC)
- Confederation Centre and Art Museum (Charlottetown, PEI)
- The Robert McLaughlin Gallery (Oshawa, ON)
- Musée de Lachine (Lachine, QC)
- California Art Club (Pasadena, CA, USA)
- Power Corporation of Canada (Montreal, QC)
Affiliations:
- Arts Club of Montreal
- Associate of the Royal Canadian Academy
- California Art Club
