William Brymner

1855-1925

Born in Greenock, Scotland, he arrived in Canada with his parents in 1857. He studied at St. Francis College in Richmond, then at the Collège Ste. Thérèse de Blainville, Quebec, then went on to the Council of Arts and Manufacturers, in Montreal (1868-69).

In his early twenties, he worked for the Public Works Department in Ottawa, with the intention of becoming an architect. In 1878, he went to Paris for further study in drawing and painting as part of his architectural training, finally decided to become a full-time painter. He studied in Paris (1878-81, 1883-85, 1889), with Tony Robert-Fleury, William Bouguereau, Jules Lefebvre, G. Boulanger, C.F. Pinot and Carolus Duran.

On his return to Canada, he made his living by teaching, first at the Ottawa School of Art, and then in 1886 at the Art Association of Montreal until 1921. An outstanding teacher, he inspired many of his students to become prominent Canadian artists in their own right, such as Wilfred Molson Barnes, Clarence A. Gagnon, Prudence Heward, Edwin Holgate, Lilias Torrence Newton, Hal Ross Perrigard, Robert Pilot, Sarah Robertson and Anne Savage.

In his own painting, he was influenced by the French school of painters, both classical and impressionistic. He shared his love of landscape with fellow artists J.W. Morrice, Horatio Walker, Edmont Dyonnet and Maurice Cullen and sketched with them at Ste. Anne de Beaupré and the Ile d’Orléans. In some of Brymner’s paintings, there is a closeness of treatment and subject matter to the work of his friend and colleague at the Ottawa School of Art, Franklin Brownell.

Brymner suffered a stroke in 1917 and had to abandon teaching for a time. He left the office of President of the Royal Canadian Academy in 1921 and retired from teaching. He died at Wallasey, Chesire, England at the age of 70.

Collections:

- Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec (Quebec, QC)
- Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (Montreal, QC)
- National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa, ON)
- Art Gallery of Ontario (Toronto, ON)
- Beaverbrook Art Gallery (Fredericton, NB)
- Art Gallery of Hamilton (Hamilton, ON)
- J. Loeb Collection (Toronto, ON)
- Firestone Art Collection (Ottawa, ON)
- Power Corporation of Canada (Montreal, QC)

Affiliations

- Associate of the Royal Canadian Academy (1883)
- Royal Canadian Academy (1886-1920)
- President of the Royal Canadian Academy (1909-18)
- Ontario Society of Artists (1886)
- Pen & Pencil Club, Montreal (founding member 1890, President 1893)
- Arts Club of Montreal (1912, President 1916-17)