Obscure Historical Event
The Meeting of Lt. Governor Simcoe and HRH Prince Edward, 1792
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OBSCURE CANADIAN HISTORICAL EVENT
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent visits John Graves Simcoe, Governor of Upper Canada, in Newark (Niagara), 1792. acrylic and graphite on canvas, 36 x 60 in. © Charles Pachter, 2012 This piece commemorates the meeting of Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe and His Royal Highness Prince Edward Augustus at Newark in 1792. Edward's visit to Newark (then the provincial capital) was part of the first royal tour to Upper Canada (conducted less than a year after the province was created by the 1791 Constitution Act). A print of this piece is on display in the Vice-Regal Suite of the lieutenant governor of Ontario. |
"The Meeting of Lt. Governor Simcoe and HRH Prince Edward, 1792" in progress. 2012.
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Charles Pachter's "The Meeting of Lt. Simcoe and HRH Prince Edward, 1792"
Nathan Tidridge, written for Dundurn Press (April 30th, 2013)
When I knew that I was going to write a book about the Duke of Kent I sent Charles Pachter (Don Rouge-Humber’s much celebrated “Cézanne of contemporary pop art in Canada”) a photograph of Simon Weaver’s 1796 portrait of Prince Edward that now hangs in the Legislative Library of Nova Scotia. A historian himself, Pachter began work on a piece that would commemorate the historic 1792 Royal Tour of Upper Canada. Within a few weeks I started receiving pictures from Charles as he crafted his painting which depicted the meeting of Upper Canada’s first Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe and Prince Edward Augustus at Newark, now Niagara-on-the Lake.
The painting depicts Simcoe (at left) greeting the Prince (centre) while a member of the Queen’s Rangers (Simcoe’s regiment) looks on. The waters of Lake Ontario form the dramatic backdrop of this classic work by Pachter.
A print of this work hangs in the Vice-Regal Suite of the lieutenant governor of Ontario David C. Onley (fitting since John Graves Simcoe was the first to hold that high office). Incidentally the lieutenant governor of Ontario holds the rank of colonel in perpetuity of the Ranger’s descendent regiment, the Queen’s York Rangers.
During the recent visit of His Royal Highness Prince Philip to Toronto (April 27th, 2013), Lieutenant Governor Onley showed his royal guest the piece. Fascinated by the painting, Prince Philip was interested to learn about the history it commemorated. Prince Edward Augustus is the great-great-great grandfather of Philip’s wife, Queen Elizabeth II.
Just as Pachter’s “Love Pat 2006” an affectionate portrayal of Her Majesty petting a moose, has become synonymous with my book Canada’s Constitutional Monarchy, his work “The Meeting of Lt. Governor Simcoe and HRH Prince Edward, 1792” completes Prince Edward, Duke of Kent: Father of the Canadian Crown.
Learn more about Charles Pachter and his work at www.cpachter.com
The painting depicts Simcoe (at left) greeting the Prince (centre) while a member of the Queen’s Rangers (Simcoe’s regiment) looks on. The waters of Lake Ontario form the dramatic backdrop of this classic work by Pachter.
A print of this work hangs in the Vice-Regal Suite of the lieutenant governor of Ontario David C. Onley (fitting since John Graves Simcoe was the first to hold that high office). Incidentally the lieutenant governor of Ontario holds the rank of colonel in perpetuity of the Ranger’s descendent regiment, the Queen’s York Rangers.
During the recent visit of His Royal Highness Prince Philip to Toronto (April 27th, 2013), Lieutenant Governor Onley showed his royal guest the piece. Fascinated by the painting, Prince Philip was interested to learn about the history it commemorated. Prince Edward Augustus is the great-great-great grandfather of Philip’s wife, Queen Elizabeth II.
Just as Pachter’s “Love Pat 2006” an affectionate portrayal of Her Majesty petting a moose, has become synonymous with my book Canada’s Constitutional Monarchy, his work “The Meeting of Lt. Governor Simcoe and HRH Prince Edward, 1792” completes Prince Edward, Duke of Kent: Father of the Canadian Crown.
Learn more about Charles Pachter and his work at www.cpachter.com
His Royal Highness Prince Philip and His Honour David C. Onley, lieutenant governor of Ontario, view Charles Pachter's painting "The Meeting of Lt. Governor Simcoe and HRH Prince Edward, 1792" in the Vice-Regal Suite at Queen's Park. April 27, 2013.