Arthur Lismer
1885 - 1969
Lismer was born in Sheffield, England in 1885. He arrived in Toronto by boat in
1911. As a primarily eastern artist, his connection to the art scene in
Vancouver was occasional rather than regular. His influence as a member of
the Group of Seven cannot be discounted, though, and he did exhibit locally
as early as the 1919 New Westminster Exhibition, and in the 1932 All-Canadian
Exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery.
Perhaps a more substantial contribution to the Vancouver art scene came from the
recommendations contained in his confidential report to
the National Gallery in 1935.
As with other members of the Group of Seven, there is much material information
available on Lismer - monographs and exhibition catalogues - which the Editor
has not attempted to list.
Exhibitions
References - MONOGRAPHS
Refer to BIBLIO.
References - GROUP EXHIBITIONS
SOUVENIR CATALOGUE OF EXHIBITIONS OPENING
THE NEW VANCOUVER ART GALLERY
(refer to VAG51)
ARTE CANADIENSE (refer to NGC60)
VISIONS OF THE WEST COAST - ROBERT ALLER & HIS COMMUNITY
(refer to UVIC05)
OUR CHANGING LANDSCAPE (2008) (refer to
BAG08)
References - GENERAL
THE FINE ARTS IN VANCOUVER, 1886 - 1930
(refer to THOM)
CREATIVE CANADA - Volumes One & Two (refer to CC71)
Includes one and a third columns of information about Lismer.
CANADIAN ART PRINTS
(refer to CAP79)
ROYAL CANADIAN ACADEMY OF ARTS -
EXHIBITIONS & MEMBERS 1880 - 1979
(refer to RCA81)
ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF CANADIAN DRAWINGS
1980, Jerrold Morris, Methuen Publications, Agincourt Ontario; ISBN 0-458-94570-6.
192 pages, illustrated throughout in black & white.
Lismer page 65 and works illustrated.
ARTISTS IN CANADA 1982 - UNION LIST OF ARTISTS' FILES
(refer to AIC82)
MONTREAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS -
SPRING EXHIBITIONS 1880 - 1970
(refer to MM88)
A DICTIONARY OF CANADIAN ARTISTS
(refer to M)
Extensive biography of almost nine pages, with numerous footnotes.
BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX OF ARTISTS IN CANADA
(refer to BIAC03)
24 references cited for Lismer.
Clippings
"This can scarcely be said of the "Winter Camouflage" by
Arthur Lismer with its deep blue snow and
extremely green river. Both the green and the blue are exceedingly
beautiful hues and regarded merely as colors they may be looked at
with joy. Nor need the critic complain that he has never seen snow
or water look exactly like that which the artist has portrayed, since
the painter is at liberty to interpret nature as he will, say to use
nature merely as a suggestion or a hint. Given this licence, the question
is: Does the picture harmonize with its own scheme of color and
composition? The popular answer to this question will probably be in
the negative, and even to many of those who love new departures the work
will appear to be a more or less unsuccessful experiment. Not even
being legitimately ranged under the blessed work "decorative". The fact
is that this term has been worked nearly to death so as greatly to
bewilder ordinary people."
From "Local Work is on View" by Bernard McEvoy
Vancouver Daily Province, October 2 1919
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