John Colin Forbes (1846-1925) stands as a significant, if sometimes debated, figure in the landscape of Canadian art during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A prolific portraitist and a keen observer of landscapes and genre scenes, Forbes navigated the evolving artistic currents of his time, from the established academic traditions to the burgeoning influences of European realism and plein air painting. His career was marked by notable successes, prestigious affiliations, and periods of controversy, reflecting the dynamic and often challenging environment for artists in a young nation forging its cultural identity.
Early Life and Artistic Formation
Born in Rochester, New York, in 1846, John Colin Forbes would later become closely associated with the Canadian art scene. While details of his earliest artistic training are not extensively documented, it is understood that he pursued studies that would have been typical for an aspiring artist of his era, likely involving drawing from casts, life drawing, and copying Old Masters. His formative years coincided with a period of great change in the art world, with the Hudson River School flourishing in the United States, Pre-Raphaelitism making waves in Britain, and the Barbizon School leading towards Impressionism in France. These undercurrents would, in various ways, shape the artistic environment in which Forbes developed.
He eventually established himself in Canada, becoming an active participant in its growing artistic community. His talent was recognized through his membership in key institutions: he was a member of the Ontario Society of Artists (O.S.A.), a foundational organization for artists in the province, and was also elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (R.C.A.). These affiliations placed him among the leading Canadian artists of his day, such as Lucius O'Brien, the first president of the R.C.A., Robert Harris, famed for his painting "The Fathers of Confederation," and Otto Jacobi, a landscape painter of German origin who made significant contributions to Canadian art.
Portraiture: A Pillar of Forbes's Career
Portraiture formed a substantial part of John Colin Forbes's oeuvre and was a primary source of his income and reputation. In an era before widespread photography, and even as photography became more common, a painted portrait by a skilled artist was a mark of status and a lasting legacy. Forbes was commissioned to paint many prominent figures of his time, capturing their likenesses for posterity.
One of his most discussed portraits was that of Lord Dufferin, the Governor General of Canada from 1872 to 1878. This work, however, became a focal point of controversy. Fellow artist John Arthur Fraser, a notable watercolorist and oil painter himself, accused Forbes of relying on photography as an aid for the portrait. This accusation touched upon a sensitive debate in the art world of the time: the appropriate use of photography by painters. While some artists, like Edgar Degas or Thomas Eakins, openly embraced photography as a tool, others viewed its use as a crutch or a betrayal of artistic skill and direct observation. The Fraser-Forbes dispute highlighted these tensions within the Canadian art community and underscored the pressures and rivalries that could exist among artists. Despite such controversies, Forbes continued to be a sought-after portrait painter.
His approach to portraiture likely blended academic precision with an attempt to capture the character of his sitters, a quality valued in the work of international contemporaries like John Singer Sargent or James McNeill Whistler, though Forbes's style was generally more conservative.
Landscapes and Genre Scenes: Embracing New Influences
Beyond portraiture, John Colin Forbes was also an accomplished painter of landscapes and genre scenes. He was part of a generation of Canadian artists who sought to depict the vast and varied Canadian landscape, a pursuit encouraged by national pride and the expansion of the railway, particularly the Canadian Pacific Railway (C.P.R.).
Forbes is known to have traveled with Lucius O'Brien to the Rocky Mountains. These expeditions, often facilitated by patrons like Sir William Van Horne, the president of the C.P.R. (and an amateur painter and collector himself), were crucial for artists to experience and document the majestic scenery of Western Canada. Artists like Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith, also known for his paintings of the Rockies, and earlier figures like Paul Kane and Cornelius Krieghoff (though Krieghoff focused more on Eastern Canadian genre scenes), had paved the way for depicting Canadian life and landscapes. Forbes's contributions added to this growing visual record of the nation.
His work "Gooderham & Worts" (noted as 1855, though this date is more likely associated with the subject or an earlier work it was based upon, given Forbes's birth year) is cited as being based on a piece by William Armstrong, an artist and engineer known for his topographical watercolors. This suggests Forbes's engagement with existing artistic representations of Canadian industry and urban landscapes.
"British New Realism" and International Exposure
The information available suggests Forbes's primary artistic style was "British New Realism," a mode of painting influenced by French Naturalism (epitomized by artists like Jules Bastien-Lepage) and Impressionism (led by figures such as Claude Monet and Camille Pissarro), yet retaining a distinct British character. This style emphasized the importance of light and color, often featuring strong contrasts between sunlight and shadow, vibrant palettes, and a keen attention to detail.
A key component of this approach was plein air painting—the practice of painting outdoors to capture the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere directly. This was a revolutionary concept that gained traction throughout the 19th century. Forbes combined this commitment to outdoor observation with techniques inherited from Victorian landscape painting.
His painting, "A Fish Sale on a Cornish Beach," exhibited at the Royal Academy (RA) in London in 1885, brought him considerable recognition. Cornwall, particularly the area around Newlyn, became a magnet for artists interested in realist depictions of rural and coastal life, a movement known as the Newlyn School. Artists like Stanhope Forbes (no relation to John Colin Forbes, but a leading figure of the Newlyn School), Walter Langley, and Frank Bramley were central to this movement, focusing on everyday scenes of fishing communities with an emphasis on social realism and atmospheric effects. John Colin Forbes's success with "A Fish Sale on a Cornish Beach" indicates his alignment with these trends and his ability to compete on an international stage.
Another significant work, "The Seine Boat" (1904), further exemplifies this style. Depicting fishermen on the Seine River, the painting showcases his skill in rendering the effects of daylight on color, capturing the figures' postures and expressions with acuity, and conveying the human element within the natural environment. This work reflects the broader European interest in peasant and working-class themes, treated with dignity and realism.
Exhibitions and Patronage
Throughout his career, John Colin Forbes participated in numerous exhibitions, both in Canada and internationally. His involvement with the O.S.A. and R.C.A. ensured his work was regularly seen by Canadian audiences. The R.C.A. annual exhibitions were particularly important showcases for Canadian talent. His showing at the Royal Academy in London was a significant achievement, as the RA was one of the most prestigious art institutions in the world.
Like many artists of his time, Forbes relied on a system of patronage. This included portrait commissions from wealthy individuals and public figures, as well as support from institutions or corporations. The Canadian Pacific Railway's policy of providing artists with free passage or commissions in exchange for works depicting the landscapes along its routes was a notable example of corporate patronage that benefited Forbes and many of his contemporaries, including John Hammond and Thomas Mower Martin. The collection of one of his paintings by Eugene Rollin Corson also points to private collectors taking an interest in his work.
Later Career and Legacy
John Colin Forbes continued to paint into the early 20th century. While the artistic landscape was rapidly changing with the advent of Post-Impressionism, Fauvism, and Cubism, Forbes largely remained committed to the realist and impressionistic-influenced traditions he had mastered. His later works, such as "The Seine Boat," demonstrate a continued engagement with these principles.
He passed away in Rochester, New York, in 1925, the same city where he was born. His career spanned a pivotal period in Canadian art, a time when artists were striving to create a distinctly Canadian school of painting while also engaging with international artistic developments.
John Colin Forbes's legacy is complex. He was a skilled and successful artist in his time, a respected member of Canada's leading art societies, and a painter who achieved international recognition. His portraits provide valuable historical records of prominent Canadians, while his landscapes and genre scenes contribute to the visual narrative of the nation and reflect his engagement with contemporary European artistic trends. The controversies he faced, particularly regarding the use of photography, also offer insight into the artistic debates of his era.
While his style might have been overshadowed by later movements, such as the Group of Seven, who offered a more stylized and nationalistic vision of the Canadian landscape, John Colin Forbes remains an important figure. He, along with contemporaries like George Agnew Reid and Homer Watson, helped lay the groundwork for the professionalization of art in Canada and represented a significant strand of academic and realist painting that formed a crucial part of Canada's artistic heritage. His work is held in various collections, and his life and career are documented in key Canadian art historical references, ensuring his contributions are not forgotten.
