Fine Art and Industrial Art, 1887

October 31 1887, was an exciting day for the community of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The first art school opened up to the public, called The Victoria School of Art. The institution was located on the corner of Hollis and Prince St, in the Union Bank building. Backers of the school, Anna Leonowens, Jeremiah Kenny and Alexander McKay helped promote both fine art and industrial art. It appears that such classes were largely gender segregated, reflecting the very different career paths open to men and women during the late 19th century. Evening technical classes, for example, tended to be the province of men, while daytime Fine Arts classes were often followed by middle and upper class women.

In the art magazine, Art Movement of America, in 1887, Anna Leownoens, credited with initiating plans for the school, stated “the establishment of a school of art and design not only encourages the Fine Arts, such as painting, sculpture, architecture, but gives a remarkable artistic value to mechanical and industrial arts.” Leonowen's mission of promoting public art education was intended to raise skill levels and incomes, but not really to achieve any changes in class or social status. The structure of the Victoria School of Art thus accommodated workers and the middle and upper classes, and both men and women.

Mrs Jeremiah Kenny, for example, helped to promote the Fine Arts. During the day, she spent two and a half hours, twice a week in the amateur class, also known as the "A class," with five female students. During class, students created motifs, illustrative renderings, and crafts consisting of decorative needle work. The principal concern of the programs was to encourage the aesthetic, cultural, and spiritual aspects of art, as well as to appeal to consumers of good taste.

Evening classes, on the other hand, were designed so that working men could attend. In 1880, Alexander McKay, supervisor for the Board of Commissioners for the City of Halifax, believed the expansion of industry required people with special skills in industrial drawing and manual training. The courses cost $5 dollars for thirty lessons, $8 dollars for sixty lessons and $10 dollars for ninety lessons. These fees were far lower than the cost to Fine Arts “Amateur” students.

Evening classes in the industrial arts included lessons in geometry, projections, mechanical and isometric drawing, free hand modeling, design, and clay modelling. Young men of the working class, city mechanics, artisans and general labours were among the population of students enrolled in the industrial arts program.

The art institution now known as NSCAD University—perhaps Canada’s most internationally recognized art school—still draws a diverse population to its doors. 121 years later, however, it is a much less class and gender-stratified place. Continuing Education classes introduce children and adults working in other fields to various aspects of the arts, while degree granting programs mix academics with technical and critical skills learning.

Amanda Moura


Works Consulted

Bronson, A.A., and Ren Blouin, Peggy Gale and Glen Lewis. From Sea to Shinning Sea Toronto: Power Plant, 1987.

Gandhi. Omar Reviving the Megastructure:Nova Scotia of Art and Design ( Canada), 2005. Dissertations & Theses at Dalhousie University. Accessed 25 Sept. 2008 http://www.proquest.com.ezproxy.library.dal.ca/

Mueller Richard. Wallpapers: An Illustration and Exhibition of Wallpaper Works of Nova Scotia College of Art and Design Facility, Alumni, and Guest Artists. Halifax, NS: the Anna Leonowens Gallery, 2000.

Soucy, Donald, Harold Pearse. The First Hundred Years: A History of Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. Fredericton & Halifax: University of New Brunswick Faculty of Education and the Nova Scotia of Art and Design, 1993.

Stacey, R H (Robert H) Wylie Li. Eighty Twenty: 100 Years of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design.
Halifax: Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, 1988.