Nicholas Raphael de Grandmaison

Nicholas Raphael de Grandmaison
Born 1892
Moscow, Russia
Died 1978
Known for Portraits
Spouse(s) Sonia de Grandmaison
Awards Order of Canada

Nicholas Raphael de Grandmaison (1892–1978) was a Russian noble who was born in Moscow to noble French and Russian parents. From a young age, he was interested in painting and the fine arts, and prior to the Russian Revolution he received a commission in the White Russian army. Starting in 1914, he spent a few years in a German prison camp where started making portraits. Afterwards he decided to pursue an education in the arts to further his skills and went to study art in London and Paris, before going to Canada in 1923. Although he studied oil painting, he transitioned to pastels after his move as they were easier to obtain in Canada during that time.[1]

On September 19, 1931, he married Sonia de Grandmaison (née Sonia Dournovo), who was another Russian artist living in Canada. Sonia was born in 1912 in Russia, and was the daughter of Colonel Orest Dournovo and Alexandra Berdiaeff, who had immigrated to Canada after the Russian Revolution. Nicholas and Sonia decided to settle down in Calgary, where they made their living painting children's portraits. But soon they both became interested in characterization, which developed into a lifelong study of First Nations in Canada and America. They started to travel more to various reserves and reservations across North America in order for Nick to paint.[2]

However, as they began to expand their family, a more permanent and stable living situation was required. They bought a family home in Banff in 1939, although Nicholas continued to travel most of his life. By the end of his life, Nicholas R. de Grandmaison was an associate member of the Royal Canadian Academy, spoke several First Nations' languages, and was invested as a member of the Order of Canada in 1972. Through his work and his art, Grandmaison captured an important era of Canadian and American history, and is considered a prominent visual historian in Canada; his work is represented in numerous public and private art collections throughout North America.[3][4]

References

  1. ↑ Currie, Rod (October 6, 1982). "Grandmaison portraits capture Indian's sorrow". The Ottawa Citizen.
  2. ↑ "de Grandmaison Family Exhibition" (Vol. 2, No.2). The Peter Whyte Foundation. The cairn. Winter 1977–78.
  3. ↑ Hustak, Atan (October 18, 1982). "Russian-born de Grandmaison found nobility on Alberta's reserves". Alberta Report.
  4. ↑ "Chief Walking Buffalo art donated to Banff museum". Calgary Herald. 2015-04-15. Retrieved 2017-08-31.
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