Cornelius Krieghoff

Cornelius Krieghoff was a painter who became one of the most popular artists of nineteenth century Canada. Born in the Netherlands in 1815, he emigrated to North America and settled in Quebec, where he found his great subject in the life of the region. He painted lively scenes of French-Canadian habitants, Indigenous people, snowy landscapes, and bustling winter travel by horse and sleigh.

His colorful, detailed pictures captured the customs and character of Quebec with warmth and humor, and they sold well to collectors of his day. They remain a vivid record of a vanished way of life. Krieghoff is now regarded as an important early figure in Canadian art, cherished for his affectionate scenes of frontier life.