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Canadian Landscape Painter |
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EDWARD SCROPE SHRAPNEL |
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Probably born at Midway Manor, halfway between Bradford-on-Avon and Wingfield, Wiltshire, EDWARD SCROPE SHRAPNEL was the son of Henry Needham Scrope Shrapnel and Louisa Sara Jonsiffe. He was christened at Holy Trinity Church, Gosport, Hampshire on 2nd February 1845 where many of his 15 brothers and sisters also first officially appear in the record books.
In his mid teens he went to Canada with his father, Henry N.S. Shrapnel and settled in Orillia, Ontario at their newly built home on Borland Street. It was here that his talents as a subsequently renowned artist were to take shape. He was to stay here for some twenty years before moving to teach at the Ontario Ladies College, Whitby, Ontario for a period of 5 years.
In 1889 he moved to Victoria where he was to spend the remaining 31 years of his life. He was the President of Victoria's earliest Art Association for some 11 years.
A prolific artist, his marine pictures became collection pieces. He was one of the earlier Canadian painters of landscapes and genre scenes. Landscapes of Muskoka region with animals or native Indians were his specialised subjects; some later works were oil still life with subject matter such as fish and oil winter landscapes. He presented a number of displays of his work at exhibitions over a period of many years.
He saw considerable military service in Canada being the holder of a number of medals and was a member of the British Campaigner's Association.
Surviving him at his death in 1920 were his widow, one son, A.P. SHRAPNEL and six daughters. All the daughters were married, three in Victoria, and the others in Vancouver, Montreal and Nova Scotia. |