In a feature on the recent publication of the Art Canada Institute’s latest online art book, Homer Watson: Life & Work, the Kitchener Post highlights the contributions of nineteenth-century landscape artist, Homer Watson (1855–1936). 

Born in Doon, Ontario, now a suburb of Kitchener, Watson went from obscurity to international renown in 1880 when his painting, The Pioneer Mill, was purchased by Canada’s then-governor general as a gift for Queen Victoria. Affably named “the Canadian Constable” by Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde, Watson was best known for landscapes of his beloved local geography and works that showcased a distinctly Canadian identity on the international stage. 

Read Homer Watson: Life & Work by Brian Foss to learn more about one of Canada’s truly pioneering artists.