THOMAS HARRISON WILKINSON 1847-1929

 


Emerald Lake was discovered in 1882 by Tom Wilson and Edwin Hunter while exploring a passage route for the Canadian Pacific Railway. By 1885 the rail connection between Eastern Canada to British Columbia was completed. Leading artist of the day such as John Arthur Fraser, Lucius O’Brien, Thomas Mower Martin and Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith received free Canadian Pacific Railway passes and accommodation in exchange for paintings. These works were used in  advertising the beauty of the mountain scenery in hopes of inspiring rail travel to the west. No doubt Thomas Wilkinson was impressed as he followed in the footsteps of these great artist. This fine watercolour of Emerald Lake with Mount Burgess as a backdrop, was one of his favourite compositions producing serval variations. Wilkinson is primarily known for his historical watercolours of his Canadian and worldly travels. His paintings are often signed T H Wilkinson or initialed THW.

In 1847, Thomas Harrison Wilkinson was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England and at the age of 16 he immigrated to London, Ontario. In 1872 he married Carrie O. Cochran, of Kingston and around 1882 they moved to Toronto residing at various locations in the city for 27 years. Although little is known about his academic training as an artist, he excelled in landscape painting with over 80 exhibition records between 1881 to 1899 which certainly indicates some talent. He exhibited with the Ontario Society of Artists from 1888 to 1897 and became an elected member in 1891. In 1888 and 1891 he exhibited two paintings with the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. His paintings were also shown at Toronto Industrial Exhibition, now known as the CNE, from 1891 to 1899. His paintings are a record of his worldly travels to places like Italy, Spain and England, especially his native Yorkshire. Wilkinson travelled to Philadelphia around 1900 leaving a historical treasure recorded by his watercolours of Germantown and other colonial sites. He also painted areas in Washington, New York and Richmond, Virginia.

The artist moved to Hamilton, Ontario in 1909 and resided at 23 Tisdale Street South until his passing in 1929.  He was survived by his wife along with three grandchildren, Thomas Harrison Wilkinson, Jean Wilkinson, and Barbara Wilkinson of New York.

During October/November 1931, there was an exhibition sale at his Tisdale home of more than 100 of Wilkinson’s paintings, both watercolours and some oils. Offered were scenes of the Eastern seaboard, the Canadian West, areas of the  Muskokas, views of the Southern States along with English Yorkshire scenes.

If you happen to own a titled and dated T. H. Wilkinson painting we would like to added to our listed below.

Ruins Of An Old Roman Aqueduct 3 Miles From Tarragona, Spain 1887
Passyunk, Philadelphia 1900
Old fortress, Tarragona, Spain , 1912

Nash Gallery