Robert Harris, 1849 - 1919
In an article titled "The Resurrection of Robert Harris", published in The Atlantic Advocate in 1985, Fergus Cronin described how Moncrieff Williamson, the first director of The Confederation Centre Art Gallery and Museum in Charlottetown, beginning in 1964, had to "rebuild", as he says, "the Harris reputation practically from scratch." 
But is Robert Harris really resurrected? If he was resurrected it was only to be buried again. It is now 30 years since Moncrieff Williamson wrote Robert Harris's biography and assembled and sent on tour across Canada a great exhibition of Robert Harris portrait paintings. Throughout the 1990s Gallery directors Ted Fraser and Terry Graff regularly scheduled Robert Harris shows, as did their predecessors Mark Holton and David Webber. But it wasn't until after a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation arts reporter inquired why the Centre was not exhibiting its Harris pictures that the first Harris show in three years appeared in the Gallery during the summer of 2002.
The Robert Harris Collection at the Confederation Centre consists of some 5,000 works of art. It was a gift made to the City of Charlottetown and the people of Prince Edward Island by Robert's widow, Elizabeth Putnam, when she died in 1928.
It was housed in The Robert Harris Memorial Gallery (left), built at that time on Queen's Square in the heart of Charlottetown to accommodate both the Collection and the City Library, to plans drawn by architect James Harris, Robert's nephew, and paid for (50%) by the Harris family, the City of Charlottetown and the Province of Prince Edward Island. In 1958 the Harris heirs, on receiving a commitment that the pictures would be exhibited, turned the Collection over to the Fathers of Confederation Trust, then in process of formation. In 1959 a Montrealer, Robert Ayre, writing in The Montreal Star described the Gallery and the Harris Collection as presenting a scene of neglect. "It was through the generosity of his relations that the Memorial Gallery was built," he wrote. "Robert Harris deserves better of the Island than this." He quoted the chairman of a board "which takes in both Library and Gallery" as confessing he knew nothing about pictures; but described the chairman as showing "a little uneasiness. . . After warnings from a visitor from the National Gallery he is proceeding to have some of the paintings restored". The Charlottetown Patriot , in reprinting the story, headlined it, " Sad neglect of Noted Artist Charged to Charlottetown." Mr. Ayre's criticisms helped generate support for Dr. Frank MacKinnon's vision of a new arts centre in downtown Charlottetown. The Harris Gallery was demolished and The Confederation Centre of the Arts, with theatre, gallery and library, erected on its site in 1964. The Harris Collection forms the heart of the Centre's Permanent Collection.
At the foot of this page you will find a brief biographical sketch of Robert Harris, as well as a forum for the discussion of his work, a place where buyers and sellers of Harris paintings can get together, and a list of books and publications relating to Robert Harris.
In 2003 the Government of Canada gave the Confederation Centre of the Arts more than half a million dollars with which to put the works of art in its Permanent Collection "on-line". As of May 27, 2004, all the Robert Harris works of art in the Collection will be accessible to the general public via the Internet. This site will then specialize in showing Robert Harris works of art from outside the Permanent Collection at the Confederation Centre, and as a forum in which his work can be discussed and changes in ownership of Harris pictures arranged.
From an early age Robert determined to be an artist, and his mother's letters to family left behind in Britain (published in 1983 by Ragweed Press under the title The Island Family Harris) are full of tales of his youthful artistic exploits. 
He financed studies in Boston by freelance portrait painting and working as a surveyor and map maker in Charlottetown. He polished his technique at the Slade School in London and in Paris, where he studied at the Atelier Bonnat and learned to do landscapes in the manner of the French Impressionists. Back in Canada he doubted his ability to practise his craft successfully at home and was contemplating removing either to Europe or the United States, when he was chosen in 1883 to paint what he called The Government Picture - the official portrait of the Fathers of Confederation. It was a massive undertaking for which he was paid $4000 - most of which he spent in researching the project. After its completion in 1884 he married his landlady's daughter, Elizabeth Bessie Putnam (left) and honeymooned in Europe. He derived no further monetary reward from the picture, but it established him as the leading portrait painter in Canada, enabling him to remain at home in Canada. He settled in Montreal, and devoted himself to his craft and to the development of the Royal Canadian Academy, of which he was president through its formative years, from 1893 to 1906.
His biographer, Moncrieff Williamson, describes him as "... a gregarious extrovert who kept the minutes of the local debating society, attended church regularly twice on Sundays . . . , and because of the warmth of his friendship with people at every level, he retained a lifelong humility regarding his own accomplishments . . . he was totally devoid of snobbishness . . . sincerely devout, a devoted husband and family man . . . "
As an artist Williamson says ". . . much of his time was passed studying on his own in various galleries copying Old Masters." His favourite was the Spanish painter, Velasquez. After 1882 Williamson says his style of painting "became more fluid, there was less tightness in the drawing and his brushwork lost its restraint . . . there are hints of Impressionism . . . his colouring . . . low in tone, yet extremely subtle."
Robert Harris's affection for Prince Edward Island was life-long, and his holiday trips home were frequent. After his death in 1919 Bessie made Prince Edward Island her home as well, and when she died in 1928 bequeathed her collection of Robert's paintings to her adopted province, where it is now in the stewardship of the Fathers of Confederation Trust. However, there are also many Harris paintings in private collections, and through the creation and operation of this webpage we hope to be able to share some of them, after a fashion, with a wider public.
If you would like to comment on Robert Harris's work or if you have any questions about him send an email to rctuck@isn.net . Here are some recent questions and comments about Robert Harris:
Q. What are Robert Harris paintings worth?
Q. Did Robert Harris have any children?
If you have a question, or an observation, or a suggestion, please send it to Maplewood Mall at rctuck@isn.net , and we'll post it and answer it online.
Margaret Manchur writes, "Since aquiring a picture of The Fathers of Confederation, I have become quite interested in Robert Harris. I have a picture (an old one) of The Fathers of Confederation. It's done in brown tones, beige, and dirty yellow, with all the names on the bottom quite like the one you have shown. Some are standing, some are sitting, all in front of large arched windows.
I think this may be a place mat that was used in a Railway dining car. How can I find out where this one originated? It doesn't say it's a print. It could even be a lithograph. No names or year on it. I know it's before 1937 as there were two pictures in front of it, in an old frame, and the first picture was an 1937 print. How can I find out if it was a place mat? Any help would be appreciated.
It's in excellent shape, having been protected all those years. The coloring is great.
Thanks
Margaret
Dear Margaret,
There was ever only one photograph made of Harris's Fathers of Confederation painting, and that illegally. It was widely reproduced and many of the reproductions are almost as much the product of retouchers as they are of the artist. The figures in these "edited" versions tend to look much more stiff and artificial than they do in the unretouched photograph. And even they have a rather stiff appearance, because Harris had only Victorian era studio photographs to work from, made when sitters had to remain absolutely still for some time while the lens of the camera was open.
I don't know what the picture/place mat is worth - you would have to ask an antiques dealer or consult an antiques site on the internet.
Thank you for your inquiry. If you have any further news or questions please let me know. Would you like me to post your inquiry and my answer on my Robert Harris webpage?
Best wishes,
Robert Tuck
Also, an inquirer is looking for a Robert Harris painting of a Prince Edward Island landscape or subject to purchase. If you have such a painting for sale please email "Maplewood" using the address "rtuck@isn.net" . 2. The Island Family Harris by Robert Critchlow Tuck, Ragweed Press, Charlottetown, 1983.
3.Some Pages From an Artist's Life, privately published, Charlottetown, P.E.I.
4.Verses by the Way, privately published, Charlottetown, P.E.I., 1920.
5. Bulletin 12 (V1:2) Robert Harris and The Fathers of Confederation by Moncrieff Williamson 
This fine portrait on board by Robert Harris of an unidentified bewhiskered Edwardian gentleman is 12 x 16 inches in size and is nicely framed. He is being offered for sale via Maplewood Mall at $4,000. What is your offer? Communicate it via email to rctuck@isn.net
Quality prints of this fine painting of Robert Harris's brother, the Reverend Ned Harris and his bride, Florence Jane Zwicker, with Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, in the background, suitable for framing, are available at $100Cdn per print. To order send email to rctuck@isn.net or write "Maplewood Books, 90 Maplewood Crescent, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, C1A 2X6" enclosing a cheque or money order for $50Cdn; you will be billed for the balance with delivery of the print.
1. Robert Harris: An Unconventional Biography by Moncrieff Williamson, McLelland & Stewart, Toronto, 1973. This book was reissued, in a paperback edition, with changes made by Dr. Williamson, in 1983, under the title Island Painter.
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