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BRITTON, Henrietta Hancock

Born
Ealing West, England, 1873
Died
Toronto, Ontario, 1963
Biography synopsis
Henrietta Hancock Britton, also known as Mrs. Harry Britton, was born in the Ealing West area of London in 1873. She immigrated to Canada with her parents in 1874, where she lived in both Brandon, Manitoba and Toronto, Ontario. Britton's art studies began in 1891 in the Ontario School of Art and Design, but she later studied privately with William Cruickshank. She was an active member of the Art Student's League in Toronto, for which she acted as Treasurer in 1896, and while she was an instructor at the Bishop Strachan School. Britton was the Director of Art at Brandon College from 1906 until 1911 and while living in Manitoba was a founding member of the Brandon Art Club. Harry Britton was another private instructor, whom she married while studying art with him in England. After settling in Cornwall for a number of years the couple returned to Canada, moving to Toronto in 1914. Britton is known for painting landscapes, portraits and seascapes. She was a member of the Baptist community, and acted as a student and teacher in that capacity, also becoming a member of the Mendelssohn Choir. Her commissions include a mural at the Ossington Avenue Church and one at Scott Mission, both in Toronto. Britton exhibited with the Royal Canadian Academy from 1905-1946 and the Art Association of Montreal in 1945 and 1946. The National Gallery of Canada and private collectors own her work.
Media used
Painting
Pastels
Watercolour
Education
Toronto Art School, 1891 - ?
Private study (under William Cruickshank (1901), Harry Britton (1912))
Memberships
Toronto Art Students League, 1887; Treasurer 1896
Brandon Art Club, Founding member 1907
File & Archive locations
National Gallery of Canada, ON - Library and Archives
Art Gallery of Ontario - Edward P. Taylor Research Library and Archives
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts / Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, QC
Canadian Women Artists History Initiative Documentation Centre, QC
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Writings about
Exhibition of Pictures: Oils and Watercolours by Harry Britton, A.R.C.A., Pastel Drawings by Henrietta Britton. Toronto: T. Eaton, 1926
"Art Club Plans Splendid Program; Will Study British Art this Year; Special Musicales Being Arranged." Brandon Sun 27 Oct. 1922
"High Standard Set by R.C.A. Pictures. Forty-Fourth Exhibition Opened with Private View Last Night." Gazette (Montreal) 17 Nov. 1922: 9
"Mrs. Harry Britton." Canadian Baptist (Toronto) 1 Sept. 1963
?, Diana. "The Sun Sisters' Page: An Hour and a Half in the Art World." The Farmers' Sun (Ontario) 10 Dec. 1919
Colgate, William. Canadian Art, its Origin and Development Toronto: Ryerson, 1943
Graham, Angela. "The Manitoba Historical Society: Henrietta Hancock Britton (1873-1963)." http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/people/britton_hh.shtml 2008
Harper, J. Russell. Early Painters and Engravers in Canada Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1970
Hopkins, John Castell. The Canadian Annual Review of Public Affairs. Toronto: Canadian Review Co. Ltd., 1927
Hughes, Margaret E. A Guide to Canadian Painters Toronto: King's Printer, 1940
McMann, Evelyn de Rostaing. Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Formerly Art Association of Montreal: Spring Exhibitions, 1880-1970 Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1988
McMann, Evelyn de Rostaing. Royal Canadian Academy of Arts/Académie royale des arts du Canada: Exhibitions and Members 1880-1979 Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1981
National Gallery of Canada. National Gallery of Canada Catalogue of Canadian Art. Ottawa: National Gallery of Canada, 1967
Ontario Provincial Library Service. Ontario Library Review Toronto: Provincial Library Service, 1940
Ontario Society of Artists. Catalogue of the Forty-Ninth Annual Exhibition of the Ontario Society of Artists, 1921 Toronto: Ontario Society of Artists, 1921
Ontario Society of Artists. Catalogue of the Sixty-Fourth Annual Exhibition of the Ontario Society of Artists, 1936 Toronto: 1936
Ontario Society of Artists. Catalogue of the Sixty-Sixth Annual Exhibition of the Ontario Society of Artists, 1938 Toronto: 1938
Petteys, Chris, et al. Dictionary of Women Artists: An International Dictionary of Women Artists Born Before 1900 Boston: G. K. Hall, 1985
Prakash, A. K. Independent Spirit: Early Canadian Women's Art Buffalo, New York: Firefly Books, 2008
Stewart, Herbert Leslie. The Dalhousie Review. Halifax, Nova Scotia: Dalhousie University, 1930
Westbridge, Anthony R. The Collector's Dictionary of Canadian Artists at Auction Vancouver: Westbridge Publications, 2001

Full text pdfs of exhibition reviews
Ontario Society of Artists Annual Exhibition: (Toronto, March 02, 1901) Lynn C. Doyle.  "At the Art Gallery."  Globe (Toronto)  March 09, 1901.  p.26.   Full-text pdf
Ontario Society of Artists Annual Exhibition: (Toronto, March 11, 1916) M.L.A.F..  "Some Pictures at the Art Gallery."  Toronto Star  March 11, 1916.  p.5.   Full-text pdf
Ontario Society of Artists Annual Exhibition: (Toronto, March 11, 1916) Hector Charlesworth.  "Pictures That Can be Heard. A Survey of the Ontario Society of Artists Exhibition."  Toronto Saturday Night  March 18, 1916.  p.5.   Full-text pdf
Ontario Society of Artists Annual Exhibition: (Toronto, March 11, 1916) "Toronto."  American Art News  April 08, 1916.  14.27: p.7.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, November 16, 1916) "Art Works on View Set High Standard."  Gazette (Montreal)  November 17, 1916.  p.7.   Full-text pdf
Ontario Society of Artists Annual Exhibition: (Toronto, March 01, 1917) "Many Fine Paintings at O.S.A. Exhibition."  The Globe (Toronto)  March 10, 1917.  p.21.   Full-text pdf
The Joint Annual Exhibition of the RCA and the OSA: (Toronto; Montreal (Fall), April 05, 1918) "Academy Opens in New Gallery. With O.S.A., Holds Notable Exhibition of Pictures and Sculpture."  Globe (Toronto)  April 06, 1918.  p.14.   Full-text pdf
The Joint Annual Exhibition of the RCA and the OSA: (Toronto; Montreal (Fall), April 05, 1918) "War-time Note in Academy Pictures. Camouflaged Shipping the Subject of Some Historically Interesting Works. Standard Maintained. Painters Producing Fewer Works Evidenced by Showing Pictures Exhibited Last Spring in Toronto."  Gazette (Montreal)  November 22, 1918.  p.11.   Full-text pdf
Ontario Society of Artists Annual Exhibition: (Toronto, March 08, 1919) "O.S.A. Annual Exhibition. Colour, Vigour and Originality Chief Characteristics of the Works. Great War Records."  Globe (Toronto)  March 08, 1919.  p.8.   Full-text pdf
Ontario Society of Artists Annual Exhibition: (Toronto, March 08, 1919) M.L.A.F..  "Younger Artists Come to the Front. Fine Display of Newer Art at the Exhibition of Ontario Society of Artists."  Toronto Star  March 08, 1919.  p.29.   Full-text pdf
Ontario Society of Artists Annual Exhibition: (Toronto, March 08, 1919) "Art and Artists."  Globe (Toronto)  April 05, 1919.  p.10.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, November 18, 1920) "Art of Canadians Well Represented."  Gazette (Montreal)  November 19, 1920.  p.9.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, November 16, 1922) "High Standard Set by R.C.A. Pictures. Forty-Fourth Exhibition Opened With Private View Last Night."  Gazette (Montreal)  November 17, 1922.  p.9.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Toronto, November 22, 1923) A. S. Wrenshall.  "Toronto"  American Art News  December 01, 1923.  22.8: p.9.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, November 24, 1927) J. Rene de Cotret.  "Le salon annuel de l'A.R.C.A. Il est fort intéressant par le nombre et la variété des oeuvres exposées. L'hiver Canadien. Clarence Gagnon, F.S. Coburn et quelques autres le mettent fort en honneur."  Le Canada (Montreal)  November 25, 1927.  p.4.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, November 24, 1927) "R.C.A. Exhibition Nearing Jubilee. Much Meritorious Work Shown, but Younger Painters Tend to Shallowness and Emptiness."  Gazette (Montreal)  November 25, 1927.  p.7.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, November 24, 1927) Albert Laberge.  "Appréciation de quelques toiles du Salon des artistes Canadiens."  La Presse (Montreal)  December 03, 1927.  p.52.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, November 24, 1927) "The Royal Academy of Arts at Montreal. Stylists and Conventionalists Draw Contradictory Opinions."  Canadian Homes and Gardens  January 1928.  5:1: pp.64,66.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Toronto, November 29, 1928) Mary-Etta MacPherson.  "Canadian Art in Review. Gleanings from the Fiftieth Exhibition of the Royal Canadian Academy, Held in Toronto Recently."  Canadian Homes and Gardens  February 1929.  pp.20-21.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Toronto, November 1932) "New Names on Roster of Artists Whose Work Academy Has Accepted. Fifty-third Annual Exhibition Royal Canadian Academy Opened- Two Hundred Canvases."  Evening Telegram (Toronto)  November 05, 1932.  p.14.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, November 1933) "Le 54e salon de l'Académie. Qualité des portraits."  La Presse (Montreal)  November 17, 1933.  p.8.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, November 1933) "Governor-General Opens Annual Art Exhibition. His Excellency Recalls Tradition of Predecessors-Stresses Art's Part in Renaissance of National Taste."  Montreal Star  November 17, 1933.  p.20.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, November 1933) "Royal Canadian Academy's 54th Exhibition."  Montreal Star  November 22, 1933.  p.15.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, November 1933) "Art Gallery is Needed. Royal Canadian Academy for 1933 has Notable Pictures."  Windsor Star  December 14, 1933.  p.18.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition.: (Montreal, November 21, 1935) Reynald.  "Le 56e Salon de l'Académie. A défaut de révéler des tendances neuves, le Salon garde une allure distinguée et une belle tenue d'ensemble. Plus de "bon ton" que de vitalité. Maints portraits."  La Presse (Montreal)  November 22, 1935.  p.19.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition.: (Montreal, November 21, 1935) "The Fifty-Sixth Exhibition of the Canadian Academy."  Montreal Star  November 22, 1935.  p.13.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition.: (Montreal, November 21, 1935) "Art Gallery Scene of R.C.A. Exhibition. Paintings and Other Works from Various Canadian Points Total 444. Much Good Portraiture."  Gazette (Montreal)  November 23, 1935.  p.19.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition.: (Montreal, November 21, 1935) H. Poynter Bell.  "The Fifty-Sixth Annual Exhibition of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts."  Royal Architectural Institute of Canada  December 1935.  pp.195-198, 202.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (Montreal, November 18, 1937) "Royal Canadian Academy Show is Opened at Art Association. Portraiture Represented by Good Examples and Landscapes as Usual Predominate."  Gazette (Montreal)  November 19, 1937.  p.12.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (, November 16, 1939) Reynald.  "Le 60e Salon de l'Académie."  La Presse  November 17, 1939.  pp.9,16.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (, November 16, 1939) "Canadian Academy Opens Sixtieth Exhibition."  Montreal Star  November 17, 1939.  p.11.   Full-text pdf
Royal Canadian Academy Annual Exhibition: (, November 16, 1939) "R.C.A. Exhibition Has Private View. Over 300 Works in Galleries of Art Association of Montreal. Standard Maintained."  Gazette (Montreal)  November 17, 1939.  p.5.   Full-text pdf

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