Name/Title
Inner Harbour, VictoriaEntry/Object ID
2023.04.14Description
Painting
This painting depicts an historical southwest view of part of the inner harbour of Victoria, B.C. populated with various docked ships. The impressive Canadian Steamship Terminal with its massive Ionic columns is located to the left, with part of the James Bay neighbourhood behind, the Ogden Point grain terminal to the far left in the background and Esquimalt in the distance.
Typical of Cross's style, the painting has a low horizon with an uninterrupted large expanse of sky. The image is spare, clean and precise, mostly in blues and greys, like an architectural rendering, perhaps a reflection of the artist's engineering background. The painting is a salute to Victoria's stature and history as a proud and important Canadian seaport.Type of Painting
Watercolour on paperArtwork Details
Medium
Watercolour on paperSubject
Inner Harbour, Victoria, B.C.Subject Place
Region
Pacific NorthwestContinent
North AmericaContext
For most of the 19th century, Victoria was the largest city in the province and remained the foremost in trade and commerce. The role of the harbour was critical to this growth and development. However, with completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1886, Victoria lost its position as largest city and the commercial centre of the province to Vancouver.
In the 20th century, Victoria evolved primarily as a city of government administration and services, education and tourism with the regional technology sector being its largest revenue-generating private industry. However, the region remains linked to its long coastal maritime associations as Canada's western naval base (Township of Esquimalt is the home of the Pacific headquarters of the Royal Canadian Navy), and home to a major fishing fleet as well as many ancillary and support industries such as ship-building and repair.Made/Created
Artist Information
Artist
Cross, Frederick George (1881-1941)Role
PainterDate made
1932Time Period
20th CenturyNotes
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Born in Exeter, England, Frederick George Cross was an accomplished Canadian artist who appears to have worked mainly in watercolour. Moving to Canada in 1906, he lived in Brooks, Alberta. Cross worked as a civil engineer in charge of irrigation with the Canadian Pacific Railway, so his art was likely not his main source of income. Cross was trained in Britain and he frequently painted rural landscapes that were notable for their low horizons and big skies. Horses were also a popular subject.
In 1934 he had a solo exhibition of watercolours at the Vancouver Art Gallery, and he also exhibited with the Royal Canadian Academy. Cross was well-known in the Canadian arts community being friends and sketching with Canadian Group Seven founding member artist A.Y. Jackson RCA, OC (1882-1974) and having associations with many other celebrated artists of the time, such as Walter J. Phillips RCA (1884-1963), Alfred C. Leighton RCA, RSA (1901-1965), and Nicholas de Grandmaison ARCA, OC (1892-1978). Cross was a member of the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolor, and a founding member of the Alberta Society of Artists and the Lethbridge Sketch Club (now the Lethbridge Artists Club). According to family, in 1933, the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh purchased one of his paintings, “Horses On Sand Creek”, following an exhibition with National Gallery, and in 1938, Cross’ painting “The Horse Barn”, was purchased by the Academy, earning him an honorary degree of Artist Laureate.Inscription/Signature/Marks
Type
SignatureLocation
Signed lower right - TBD
Verso handwritten in black ink:
"Inner Harbour, Victoria"
Frederick G. Cross
1932Dimensions
Dimension Description
Visible imageHeight
30.5 cmWidth
38.1 cmCopyright
Notes
Images are provided for research and reference use only. Permission to publish, copy, or otherwise use these images must be obtained from the copyright holder. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to determine the copyright holder and to obtain permission(s) as needed.
