Theophile Hamel (Canadian 1817-1870)
Isabella & William Baldwin of Toronto
Pair of oils on lined canvas, female portrait inscribed on reverse "T. Hamel d'après un Daguerreotype"
Size: Male 30 1/4" x 25 1/2" (with frame 38 1/2" x 34 1/4"); Female 30 1/4" x 24 1/4" (with frame 38" x 32 1/4")
Provenance: By descent through the family to the present owner Isabella Buchanan was the first wife of William Augustus Baldwin (1808-1883), the brother of Robert Baldwin (1804-1858) who with Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine led the first responsible ministry in Canada prior to Confederation and was instrumental in setting up modern municipal government and the jury system in Canada. William Baldwin lived on a family farm between Spadina and Avenue Road, Toronto. He transformed this family property into valuable real estate in which is now downtown Toronto.
Théophile Hamel is one of early Canada’s greatest portrait painters. He created oil portraits of many important figures of government, aristocracy and the church. The success of his work allowed Hamel to leave behind his modest upbringing and operate within the intellectual and social elite of 19th century Quebec.
ZJ19543