Cornelius Krieghoff (Cornelius David Krieghoff)

1815-1872

Cornelius Krieghoff was born in Amsterdam, Holland, and was the third child of a family of six. By 1922, the family had settled in Mainberg where Krieghoff’s father ran a wallpaper factory. He was later able to send Cornelius to University in Dusseldorf and Rotterdam where he studied botany, music and painting. After university, Krieghoff earned his living across Europe as a travelling musician and craftsman. In 1837, Krieghoff arrived in New York and enrolled in the United-States Army. He served in Florida during the second Seminole War recording the events of the conflict, creating hundreds of drawings for the War Department Archives. The U.S. Government also commissioned him to make paintings from the drawings, which he did at his studio in Rochester, New York. While in the United States Krieghoff met his future wife Émilie Gauthier and in 1840, following his discharge from the army, they had their first child, Henry. At about this time they made their way to Canada.

Having settled in Boucherville on the south shore of the St. Lawrence near Montreal, Krieghoff worked on becoming a professional artist, painting scenes depicting the “Habitants” and the aboriginals of Caughnawaga (Kanawake). In 1841, his daughter Emily was born but that same year the Krieghoff family also suffered the loss of their son Henry. In 1844 they moved to Paris where Krieghoff copied masterworks at the Luxembourg Museum and at the Louvre under the direction of Michel-Martin Drölling. Back in Canada by early 1846, he established himself as a professional artist in Montreal and advertised his services in daily newspaper La Presse. In 1847, he participated at the Montreal Society of Artists' exhibition displaying forty-eight paintings and he took part in the first exhibition of the Toronto Society of Arts. In the late 1840’s, some of his paintings were made into colour lithographs. In 1850, Krieghoff exhibited thirty paintings at the 8th Annual Festival at the Mechanic’s Institute in Montreal and also exhibited at the Industrial Exhibition in Montreal where he won First Prize. During this period, Krieghoff’s work was well received and most of his paintings were sold through auctions. While enjoying a certain amount of success, most of the wealthy merchants of this time were more interested in European art. In order to earn more, Krieghoff made copies of European paintings, worked occasionally on decoration commissions and sold smaller painting from door to door.

In 1851, Krieghoff met John Budden, a well known Quebec City resident and partner in the firm of auctioneers Maxham and Company. Mr. Budden sold some of Krieghoff’s paintings at auction and by late 1853 he persuaded him to move to Quebec City with his family. Still in 1853, Krieghoff exhibited at the Quebec Provincial Exhibition and was awarded First Prize for a Canadian subject. During the winter of 1854, Budden took Krieghoff to Montmorency Falls, Quebec City’s winter playground, where Krieghoff was introduced to British Army officers stationed at the Citadel, sportsmen, businessmen and other new friends. Stimulated by Mr. Budden’s enthusiasm and the many purchases made by the wealthy people of Quebec City, Krieghoff entered upon the most successful period of his career. At this time he made a series of paintings of the Montmorency area of which many became the subjects of lithographs. Later in 1854, Krieghoff participated once more in the Quebec Provincial Exhibition and won two First Prizes. He exhibited again at this venue in 1860 and later in 1871 where he won a prize for best landscape painting. In 1855, Krieghoff did a series of portraits including a self portrait which is now in the National Gallery of Canada’s collection. Two years later, he exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia and did so again in 1858, 1861 and 1862.

In 1863, health issues forced Krieghoff to move to Europe, where he stayed until his return to Canada in 1870. While in Europe, he kept in touch with the North American art scene, exhibiting at various venues including the exhibitions of the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, New York (1863, 1865, 1867, 1868), Art Association of Montreal (1864, 1865, 1867), Toronto Mechanic’s Institute (1865 and 1866). He also exhibited in Europe, notably at the Dublin Exhibition in 1865 and at the Paris World Fair in 1867. After Krieghoff’s return from Europe in 1870, his wife Émilie disappeared from his life. Krieghoff came back to Quebec City shortly in 1870 before moving in with his daughter in Chicago, USA, in late 1871. He died there a few months after his arrival at the age of 56.

During his career, Krieghoff did many scenes of habitants driving sleighs in winter. For the historians Krieghoff's paintings provided much detail on clothing and customs of the people of Quebec of his time. Many of his paintings depicted the aboriginals of the Caughnawaga Reserve outside Montreal and of the Lorette Reserve outside Quebec City. At around 1856 Krieghoff began to produce his merrymaking scenes and his masterpiece "Merrymakers"(Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton. NB) was created in 1860. Krieghoff also did many works on settler's log houses and habitant homes in winter. He painted many other subjects which included blizzards, winter roads and snowstorms. He also painted summer and autumn scenes at Lake Beauport, Lake St. Charles, Jacques Cartier River, Lake Memphramagog and elsewhere. While most of Krieghoff’s paintings were sold through auction houses, some works were also sold at Booksellers’ stores. Other works were the result of commissions, Krieghoff's close friend John Budden probably acting as agent in several instances. The fact that a number of Krieghoff's works appeared in exhibitions and for sale in Cincinnati, Philadelphia, New York City and other US centres indicates that he probably benefited from dealer representation south of the border. During Krieghoff's career it is estimated that he painted over seven hundred canvases, many of which were reproduced on lithographs, Christmas cards, calendars and other items.

Following Krieghoff’s death, his works were present in a variety of group shows and many major retrospectives shows were held, notably at the Art Gallery of Ontario (1926, 1934, 1999), the National Gallery of Canada (1934, 2000), the Art Association of Montreal (1934), the Canadian National Exhibition, Toronto (1934, 1955), the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton (1961), the McCord Museum, Montreal (1972, 2001), the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto (1951, 1958, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1979, 1982, 1994), the Musée National Des Beaux-Arts du Québec (1971, 1985, 2000), the Place des Arts, Montreal (1976), The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (1979), the Vancouver Art Gallery (2001) and many others.

Collections:

- National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa, ON)
- McMichael Canadian Art Collection (Kleinburg, ON)
- Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (Montreal, QC)
- Musée de la Civilisation (Quebec City, QC)
- Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto, ON)
- Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec (Quebec City, QC)
- Art Gallery of Ontario (Toronto, ON)
- Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (Halifax, NS)
- Art Gallery of Hamilton (Hamilton, ON)
- Agnes Etherington Art Centre (Kingston, ON)
- Edmonton Art Gallery (Edmonton, AB)
- Vancouver Art Gallery (Vancouver, BC)
- The Winnipeg Art Gallery (Winnipeg, MN)
- MacKenzie Art Gallery (Regina, SK)
- Mendel Art Gallery (Saskatoon, SK)
- Museum London (London, ON)
- Glenbow Museum (Calgary, AB)
- New Brunswick Museum (St. John, NB)
- Tom Thomson Memorial Art Gallery (Owen Sound, ON)
- Beaverbrook Art Gallery (Fredericton, NB)
- White Museum of the Canadian Rockies (Banff, AB)
- McCoed Museum of Canadian History (Montreal, QC)
- The Robert McLaughlin Gallery (Oshawa, ON)
- Confederation Centre Art Gallery (Charlottetown, PEI)
- Library and Archives Canada (Ottawa, ON)