Lilias Torrance Newton fonds: Finding Aid

Lilias Torrance Newton (1896-1980), Canadian portrait painter, was born at Lachine, Quebec, the daughter of businessman Forbes Torrance and Alice Mary Stewart. She enrolled at an early age at the Art Association of Montreal, where she studied under William Brymner (1855-1925). She later studied with the Polish-born artist Alfred Wolmark (1877-1961) in London and Alexandre Jacovleff (1887-1938) in Paris. In 1921 Lilias Torrance married Captain Frederick G. Newton. Their only child, Francis Forbes, was born in 1926. Lilias Torrance Newton made a career out of painting notable Canadians, including portraits of fellow artists and friends in the art world but her most famous commission was for the portraits of Queen Elizabeth II (1926- ) and the Duke of Edinburgh (1921- ) that hang in Rideau Hall, Ottawa. Newton was elected an Associate of the Royal Canadian Academy in 1923 and Academician in 1939 and 1973. She was also a founding member of the Beaver Hall Group and the Canadian Group of Painters, had solo exhibitions in 1930, 1939, and 1958, and taught at the Art Association of Montreal. In 1972 Newton received an Honourary LL.D. from the University of Toronto.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

Fonds consists of photographs (predominately black and white with some colour), of portraits by Lilias Torrance Newton. Approximately half of the subjects are identified. There are in addition personal photos; some of these are also identified. Also included is list of portraits by Lilias Newton from 1920 to 1950, along with related correspondence between herself and some of her patrons, such as the staff of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, Governor General Earl Alexander of Tunis (1891-1969), Sir Robert Borden (1854-1937), General Crerar, W.H. Brittain, and Louis Breithaupt. Newton's original Honourary Doctorate certificate from the University of Toronto, her doctoral hood, and related correspondence is part of the fonds, as are various newspaper articles on artists, miscellaneous correspondence, an undated article on Newton by Canadian artist Albert Cloutier (1902-1965), a diary from 1957, correspondence regarding the Canadian Group of Painters and its dissolution (1968), correspondence regarding permission to reproduce one of her works, a report related to the divorce between Lilias Torrance Newton and Frederick Newton (1933), Lilias Torrance Newton's passport (1941-51), and original materials and certificates from her election to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (1939 and 1973).

Source of supplied title proper: Title based on contents of fonds.
Immediate source of acquisition: Donated to the National Gallery of Canada Library and Archives by Francis Forbes Newton, 1980.
Terms governing use and reproduction: Permission to reproduce or publish material from the Lilias Torrance Newton fonds must be obtained from the National Gallery of Canada Library and Archives.
Physical description: Photographs consist of 206 photographic images and 6 slides.
Finding aids: Box list available.
Associated material: See Visual Resources database for further information on the photographs in fonds.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

[Title of item], Lilias Torrance Newton fonds, National Gallery of Canada Library and Archives.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Lilias Torrance Newton fonds:

Finding Aid

Collection Summary

Biographical Sketch

Scope and Contents of the Collection

Index Terms

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Contact Information

Box List