 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Listed Canadian Artist: 1871-1951,
Saskatchewan's first generation pre-eminent artist
Oil on Canvas laid on Masonite
Signed by the Artist - ca. 1930
Cattle Grazing in the Qu'Appelle Valley,
Saskatchewan
h: 12 in. by w: 14 in.
James Henderson, Cattle Grazing Qu'Appelle Valley
James Henderson was a pioneering artist in Saskatchewan, widely recognized for his dignified portraits of Indigenous leaders and his evocative landscapes of the Qu’Appelle Valley. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, he trained as a lithographer and attended evening classes at the Glasgow School of Art. After working in London as an engraver and lithographer, he immigrated to Canada in 1909, first settling in Winnipeg before moving to Regina in 1910 and later making his home in Fort Qu’Appelle in 1916.
Henderson quickly gained national and international acclaim for his portraiture, capturing the strength and character of Cree, Sioux, Saulteaux, and Assiniboine leaders, including Sitting Bull, Chief Crowfoot, and Standing Buffalo. His works, exhibited in Canada and abroad, serve as an invaluable historical record of Prairie Indigenous cultures. In recognition of his contributions, he was commissioned by the University of Saskatchewan to paint twelve portraits representing the Indigenous tribes of Saskatchewan and Alberta.
Beyond portraiture, Henderson is perhaps most beloved for his landscapes. Deeply inspired by the beauty of the Qu’Appelle Valley, he built a home and studio there, where he painted the region’s rolling hills, lakes, and shifting seasons with a masterful impressionistic touch. He also traveled extensively, painting scenes in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario’s Muskoka region.
Throughout his career, Henderson exhibited widely, including at the National Gallery of Canada, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and various provincial galleries. A member of the Ontario Society of Artists, he also exhibited with the Royal Canadian Academy. In 1951, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Saskatchewan. One of his greatest honors came when he was made an Honorary Chief by the Standing Buffalo Reserve, receiving the name Wicite Owapi Wicasa—“the man who paints the old men.”
Today, James Henderson is recognized as Saskatchewan's pre-eminent first generation artist and his works are held in major collections across Canada, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Glenbow Museum, and the Art Gallery of Alberta. In 2009, the Mendel Art Gallery honored his legacy with a retrospective, reaffirming his place as a defining figure in Canadian art.
James passed away in 1951.
James Henderson, Autumn in the Qu'Appelle Valley
Updated March 30, 2025 |
|
|---|
