Peleg Franklin Brownell (July 27, 1857-March 13, 1946) was an RCA painter born in New Bedford, Massachusetts. He studied at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts in 1879 and continued his training at the Académie Julian in Paris (1880-1883) under masters such as Tony Robert-Fleury, Adolphe-William Bouguereau, and Léon Bonnat. It was in Paris that he befriended fellow artist William Brymner, marking the beginning of a significant connection to Canadian art.
In 1886, Brownell relocated to Ottawa, where he became the headmaster of the Ottawa Art School, later renamed the Art Association of Ottawa. As a prominent teacher, he mentored influential Canadian artists, including Frank Hennessey, Pegi Nicol MacLeod, and Henri Masson, cementing his legacy in Canadian art education. His teaching career spanned over 50 years, retiring in 1937.
Peleg Franklin Brownell; Pulling the Logs
Brownell's art combined Realism and Impressionism, celebrated for its radiant light, delicate values, and masterful craftsmanship. He produced diverse works—landscapes, portraits, flower studies, and marine scenes—using oil, watercolour, and pastel. Notably, he painted in Ottawa and its surrounding regions, as well as the West Indies, the Gaspé, and the lower St. Lawrence.
A key figure in Canadian art, Brownell was a founding member of the Canadian Art Club and earned accolades such as a bronze medal at the 1900 Paris World's Fair. He also exhibited at significant international venues, including the 1893 Chicago World's Columbian Exposition and the British Empire Exhibition (1924-25). Brownell was highly regarded by contemporaries like Maurice Cullen and James Wilson Morrice, furthering his reputation as a respected artist and teacher.
Peleg Franklin Brownell; Boy Fishing
His works are featured in major Canadian galleries, including the National Gallery of Canada, which honoured him with a retrospective exhibition in 1922—the first such recognition for a Canadian artist. Brownell passed away in Ottawa in 1946, remembered as a key contributor to the evolution of Canadian art in the early 20th century.