Born in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1881, Robinson studied at the Hamilton Art School under John Sloan Gordon before travelling to Paris in 1903 to attend the Académie Julian, and later the École des beaux-arts. While in France, he was influenced by Impressionist and Post-Impressionist approaches to colour and composition, which would inspire his later work in Canada.
Les Éboulements en haut, c 1924, oil on canvas by Albert Henry Robinson
In 1905, Robinson returned back to Canada and began teaching at the Hamilton Art School. Three years later he moved to Montreal and worked briefly as an illustrator before devoting himself fully to painting. While in Montreal, he met William Brymner and Maurice Cullen and began exhibiting his paintings at the Royal Canadian Academy (RCA). In 1910, he went on sketching trips along the St. Lawrence River and in Quebec’s rural villages such as St Lawrence St-Tite-des-Caps, Baie-St-Paul, Cacouna and Quebec City. These trips became central to his career, producing some of his most iconic works, such as Quebec Village in Winter and Baie-Saint-Paul. Robinson had a particular affinity for winter scenes, therefore white was a common colour in his palettes. He had an exceptional eye for colour and often used a unique technique of applying square brushstrokes, somewhat like pointillism, to create lively scenes.
Opulent Autumn, St. Geneviève, oil on panel by Albert Henry Robinson
In 1910 he met A. Y. Jackson of the Group of Seven and joined him on a trip to France the following year to visit Saint Malo and Carhaix. In 1911, he was elected an Associate of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (ARCA), and in 1920, he achieved full membership as a Royal Canadian Academician (RCA). Throughout his career, he exhibited over 60 paintings with the Academy, highlighting the recognition he received within Canada's professional art community.
Baie St-Paul, 1928, oil on canvas by Albery Henry Robinson
From roughly 1918 through 1933, Robinson embarked on more painting trips along the St. Lawrence River and into the Laurentian Mountains, often accompanied by A. Y. Jackson, Clarence Gagnon, Edwin Holgate, and Randolph Stanley Hewton. He would also exhibit frequently with them. Jackson and Robinson explored Quebec’s Charlevoix region together often, a landscape that inspired both artists and became closely associated with Robinson’s legacy. Although not a formal member of the Group of Seven, Robinson shared their commitment to depicting distinctly Canadian landscapes and was friends with many of the members.
Springtime in the Hills, 1927, oil on canvas by Albert Henry Robinson
In the Group of Seven’s 1920 inaugural exhibition, Robinson was invited to show his work as a guest, alongside Robert Pilot and Randolph Hewton. Though active during the same period, he didn’t pursue recognition through his ties to the Group, instead he choose a more private life focused on painting on his own terms. Robinson was described as “a painter’s painter,” as he created art for the sheer love of it. In 1933, he became a founding member of the Canadian Group of Painters, earning numerous awards and exhibiting widely in Canada, Europe, and the United States throughout his career.
At the Store, 1921, oil on canvas by Albert Henry Robinson
Robinson’s artistic career was cut short in the mid 1930’s by a heart attack and later arthritis in his hands. Despite this, his existing body of work continued to earn acclaim internationally for its balance between structural design and painterly freedom. He passed away in 1959 in Montreal, Quebec.
Open Stream in Spring, 1927, oil on canvas by Albert Henry Robinson
Today, Robinson’s paintings can be found in major Canadian collections, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Luxembourg Museum, Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec and the Art Gallery of Hamilton.
References
McMann, Evelyn (1981). Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
"Works". cowleyabbott.ca. Cowley Abbott Auction, An Important Private Collection of Canadian Art - Part III December 6th 2023.
"Collection". www.gallery.ca. National Gallery of Canada.
"Collection". tms.artgalleryofhamilton.com. AGH.
"Collection". useum.org.