Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- [ca. 1927]-1955 (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
43 cm of textual records
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Frederick Sproston Challener, painter, was born in Whetstone, England in 1869 and came to Canada in 1870. He studied at the Ontario School of Art, was first exhibited in 1900 at the Royal Canadian Academy and subsequently worked as a newspaper artist. After a tour of Europe and the Middle East in 1898-99, he began working as a muralist and participated in the decoration of the recently completed Toronto City Hall. At the end of the First World War, Challener worked as a painter for the Canadian War Records Department. He made his career chiefly by creating murals for passenger boats, restaurants, hotels—such as Fort Rouillé in the King Edward Hotel,Toronto—office buildings and theatres, including the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto. He also produced easel paintings, watercolours and drawings in a realistic, romantic style. From 1927-1952 he taught at the Ontario College of Art, during which period he made notes and assembled material on Canadian artists. He died in Toronto in 1959. Challener was a member of numerous arts organizations including the Toronto Art Students’ League, Ontario Society of Artists, Royal Canadian Academy, Society of Mural Decorators of Toronto and the Arts and Letters Club of Toronto (founding member, 1908). His work is in the National Gallery of Canada, the Civic Art Gallery, Winnipeg, the Art Gallery of Ontario and numerous public buildings.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
The material now constituting the Frederick S. Challener collection was purchased from Thomas Roche Lee in 1959.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
The collection consists of newspaper articles, reproductions, illustrations, exhibition notices and invitations, death notices, photographs and biographical notes on 112 Canadian artists (birthdates 1803 to 1915) and four arts organizations: Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour, Ontario Society of Artists, Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, and Toronto Art Students’ League.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Open
Conditions governing reproduction
Researchers should note that copyright of most material in the Frederick S. Challener collection remains with Challener’s estate. Copyright belonging to other parties, such as that of photographs, may still rest with the creator of these items. It is the researcher’s responsibility to obtain permission for the reproduction of any part of the collection.
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Previously known as the Frederick S. Challener notes.