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HOLDEN, Sarah Baldwin (Sara)

Born
Belleville, Ontario, 1862
Died
Riverview, California, ?
Biography synopsis
Sarah Holden, like many women who studied painting in Canada, traveled to Europe to pursue further training. While living in Montreal in 1881.she took painting courses with Richard Harris and William Brymner at the Art Association of Montreal. In addition to studying at the Art Students League in New York, she attended the Academie Julian in Paris, taking classes with Tony Robert-Fleury and Jules Lefebvre in the early 1890s. While at the Academie she developed a longstanding friendship with Florence Carlyle another Canadian painting student. In 1900 she was known to be studying in London and Holland; a number of her genre paintings represent scenes in Holland. Her portraits and genre paintings were exhibited at the Art Association of Montreal and the Royal Canadian Academy for many of the years between1886 and1897 as well as the Ontario Society of Artists (1893-4). Exhibition reviews of these associations frequently singled out her work, and in 1896, she was described as "one of the foremost Canadian artists." In 1893 she won a gold medal at the Chicago World's Fair, and a few years later, in 1895, she became an Associate member of the Royal Canadian Academy. She was considered among the women who were instrumental in forming the Women's Art Association of Canada (Montreal chapter) where she exhibited in 1894. In 1902 she received an honourable mention for her work. She withdrew from the RCA after her marriage to an American and moving to the United States. She was never again heard of in the Canadian milieu.
Media used
Painting
Education
Art Students' League, New York
Académie Julian, Paris
Art Association of Montreal (under Robert Harris, William Brymner)
Memberships
Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, 1895-1907
Women's Art Association of Canada
File & Archive locations
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts / Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, QC
National Gallery of Canada, ON - Library and Archives
Canadian Women Artists History Initiative Documentation Centre, QC
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Writings about
Butlin, Susan. A New Matrix of the Arts: A History of the Professionalization of Canadian Women Artists, 1880-1914 Ottawa, Ontario: Carleton University, 2008
Butlin, Susan. Making a Living: Florence Carlyle and the Negotiation of a Professional Artistic Identity Ottawa: Carleton University, 1995
Butlin, Susan. The Practice of her Profession: Florence Carlyle, Canadian Painter in the Age of Impressionism Montreal and Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2009
Davies, Blodwen. "Canadian Women of Brush and Chisel." Chatelaine 3 (Jun. 1930): 9, 42
Harper, J. Russell. Early Painters and Engravers in Canada Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1970
Hopkins, J. C., ed. "Canadian Artists of Today." Canada: An Encyclopedia of the Country Toronto: Linscott, 1900
Huneault, Kristina and Janice Anderson, eds. Rethinking Professionalism: Women and Art in Canada, 1850-1970 Montreal: McGill-Queen's Press, 2012
McLeod, Ellen Mary Easton. In Good Hands: The Women of the Canadian Handicrafts Guild Ottawa: Carleton University Press, 1999
Montiege, Samuel. L'Academie Julian et ses eleves canadiens: Paris 1880-1900. Montreal, Quebec: Universite de Montreal, 2011
National Council of Women of Canada. Women of Canada: Their Life and Work Montreal: National Council of Women, 1900
http://archive.org/details/cihm_11965

Full text pdfs of exhibition reviews
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, Canada, April 1886) "The Art Exhibition. Second Notice."  Montreal Herald  April 16, 1886.  p.5.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition.: (Montreal, April 20, 1887) "Among the Pictures. The Annual Spring Exhibition of the R.C.A."  Gazette (Montreal)  April 20, 1887.  p.8.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition.: (Montreal, April 20, 1887) "The Art Exhibition. Some Notices of the Pictures Displayed."  Montreal Daily Herald  April 21, 1887.  p.8.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, April 1887) "The Art Exhibition. Some Notices of the Pictures Displayed."  Montreal Daily Herald  April 21, 1887.  P.8.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, April 1889) "The Spring Exhibition. Private View at the Art Gallery Last Evening."  Gazette (Montreal)  April 13, 1889.  p.5.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, April 1889) "Art Association. Spring Exhibition - Picture Sales."  Montreal Star  May 03, 1889.  p.4.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, April 25, 1890) "Royal Canadian Academy. Reception and Private View-The Artists and Their Works."  Montreal Star  April 24, 1890.  p.6.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, April 25, 1890) "The Art Gallery Thrown Open to Visitors Yesterday."  Montreal Herald  April 26, 1890.  p.6.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, April 25, 1890) Carl Fuller.  "Royal Canadian Academy. Impressions of the Spring Exhibition at the Art Gallery- Some Promising Students."  Gazette (Montreal)  May 02, 1890.  p.2.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, April 19, 1892) "Art Association. The Annual Spring Exhibition."  Montreal Star  April 19, 1892.  p.3.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, April 19, 1892) "The Canadian Art Exhibition."  Daily Witness (Montreal)  April 20, 1892.  p.4.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, April 19, 1892) "The Art Gallery. Further Review of the Exhibition's Pictures."  Montreal Herald  April 30, 1892.  p.5.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, April 19, 1892) "The Spring Exhibition. Some Notes and Comments on the Pictures at the Gallery of the Art Association."  Gazette (Montreal)  May 07, 1892.  p.2.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, April 19, 1892) "Art Association Prizes."  Daily Witness (Montreal)  May 09, 1892.  p.4.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, April 19, 1892) "Art Association Prizes."  Montreal Star  May 12, 1892.  p.5.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, March 1893) "The Royal Canadian Academy Exhibition."  Montreal Star  February 28, 1893.  p.6.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, March 1893) "With Artists. Annual Exhibition by the Royal Canadian Academy."  Montreal Herald  March 01, 1893.  p.2.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, March 1893) "At the Art Gallery. Many Fine Pictures on View - Notice of Some of those Exhibited."  Montreal Star  March 02, 1893.  p.4.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, March 1893) "At the Art Gallery. Still Life in the Canadian Academy Pictures."  Montreal Star  March 06, 1893.  p.1.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, March 1893) John Popham.  "The R.C.A. Exhibition. A Criticism of Some of the Pictures Now on View."  Gazette (Montreal)  March 11, 1893.  p.7.   Full-text pdf
Ontario Society of Artists Annual Exhibition: (Toronto, April 24, 1893) F.E.G..  "Art and Artists."  Toronto Saturday Night  April 29, 1893.  p.15.   Full-text pdf
Ontario Society of Artists Annual Exhibition: (Toronto, April 24, 1893) "Ontario Art Exhibition. The Annual Collection of the Society of Artists- a Splendid Showing of Oils and Watercolours."  Globe  April 29, 1893.  p. 17.   Full-text pdf
Ontario Society of Artists Annual Exhibition: (Toronto, April 24, 1893) "Art Notes."  The Week  May 05, 1893.  p.540.   Full-text pdf
Ontario Society of Artists Annual Exhibition: (Toronto, April 24, 1893) "Art Notes."  The Week  May 05, 1893.  p.540.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Ottawa, March 30, 1894) "Beauty in Colors. Leading Pictures at the Art Exhibition Described."  Evening Journal (Ottawa)  April 02, 1894.  p.5.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Ottawa, March 30, 1894) "Art Notes. The Royal Canadian Academy's Exhibition."  The Week (Toronto)  April 06, 1894.  p.448-9.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, April 23, 1894) "Art Exhibition. The 15th Spring Exhibition of the Art Association."  Montreal Herald  April 14, 1894.  p.6.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, April 23, 1894) "The Art Exhibition Opens This Evening at the Art Institution."  Montreal Star  April 23, 1894.  p.6.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, April 23, 1894) "A Few Pictures. At the Spring Exhibition of the Art Association."  Montreal Herald  April 26, 1894.  p.8.   Full-text pdf
Ontario Society of Artists Annual Exhibition: (Toronto, April 25, 1894) "The Ontario Society of Artists."  Toronto Saturday Night  April 28, 1894.  p.7.   Full-text pdf
Ontario Society of Artists Annual Exhibition: (Toronto, April 25, 1894) "Among the Pictures. A View of the Ontario Society's Exhibition. Good Work on the Walls. Old Favourites and New Aspirants Represented."  Globe (Toronto)  April 30, 1894.  p.5.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, April 23, 1894) "Art Gallery Jottings. The Different Pictures Ably Criticised. An Improvement on Former Years."  Montreal Metropolitan  May 05, 1894.  Unknown.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, April 23, 1894) "Art Association."  Daily Witness (Montreal)  May 15, 1894.  p.10.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, March 07, 1895) "The Spring Exhibition. Opened at the Art Gallery Last Night."  Montreal Daily Star  March 07, 1895.  p.1.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, March 12, 1896) "Canadian Artists' Work. The Exhibition at the Art Gallery. To Be Formally Opened This Evening - Some of the Pictures of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, Which Are on View."  Montreal Star  March 12, 1896.  p.8.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, March 12, 1896) "Among the Paintings. Some of the New Canvases Hanging in the Art Gallery."  Daily Witness (Montreal)  March 14, 1896.  p.10.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, March 12, 1896) "The Art Exhibition. Some Beautiful Landscapes on View."  Daily Witness (Montreal)  March 16, 1896.  p.1.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, March 12, 1896) Hariet Ford.  "Canadian Pictures. The Royal Academy Exhibition at Montreal."  Daily Mail and Empire (Toronto)  March 17, 1896.  p.3.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, March 12, 1896) Harriet Ford.  "Canadian Pictures. The Royal Canadian Academy Exhibition at Montreal. A Second Letter from Miss Harriet Ford-She Characterizes Methods and Manner-Styles of Oil Painting Described-The Water-Colour Department of the Exhibition."  Daily Mail and Empire (Toronto)  March 24, 1896.  p.9.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, March 12, 1896) "Among the Paintings. The New Canvasses at the Art Gallery."  Daily Witness (Montreal)  March 25, 1896.  p.12.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, March 12, 1896) Lynn C. Doyle.  "Art."  Saturday Night (Toronto)  April 04, 1896.  p.15.   Full-text pdf
Women's Art Association of Canada (Tor) - 8th Annual Spring Exhibition: (Robert's Art Galleries, April 04, 1896) "Women And Art. Annual Exhibition of the Woman's Art Association. Purely Canadian Exhibits. Great Discretion Exercised in the Selection of Paintings. Lieutenant-Governor Kirkpatrick and Party Present at the Opening-The Exhibit Open Till the 17."  Globe and Mail  April 07, 1896.  p.8.   Full-text pdf
Women's Art Association of Canada (Tor) - 8th Annual Spring Exhibition: (Robert's Art Galleries, April 04, 1896) "ART"  Toronto Saturday Night  April 11, 1896.  p.9.   Full-text pdf
Women's Art Association of Canada (Tor) - 9th Annual Spring Exhibition: (Robert's Art Galleries, March 01, 1897) "Woman's Art Association. Annual Exhibition of Paintings by Members of the Association-Other Cities Represented."  Globe and Mail (Toronto)  March 02, 1897.  p.6.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, April 01, 1897) "Spring Exhibition. A Private View to be Held on Thursday Evening. Excellent Portraits."  Gazette (Montreal)  March 30, 1897.  p.3.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, April 01, 1897) "Art Exhibition. Pictures Generally Poor, with Notable Exceptions. Some of the Paintings Described."  Daily Witness (Montreal)  March 31, 1897.  p.1.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, April 01, 1897) "The Spring Exhibition. Some of the Striking Pictures of the Exhibition."  Montreal Star  April 02, 1897.  p.5.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, April 01, 1897) "Spring Exhibition. The Private View and Conversazione. A Successful Function."  Gazette (Montreal)  April 02, 1897.  p.5.   Full-text pdf
Art Association of Montreal Annual Spring Exhibition: (Montreal, April 01, 1897) Werthemer, G. de.  "L'exposition annuelle de peintures a l'Art Association. Revue complete du salon."  Les Nouvelles (Montreal)  April 04, 1897.  p.2,8.   Full-text pdf

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