James Fenwick Lansdowne
(1937–)
(–2008)
James Fenwick Lansdowne
1937–2008
James Fenwick Lansdowne (1937–2008) was a Canadian wildlife artist. Born in Hong Kong to British parents, he was raised in Victoria, BC. His mother, an accomplished artist, taught him the art of traditional Chinese watercolors, which he mastered with time. After the Second World War, his family moved to Canada, where he continued pursuing his love for painting. Despite suffering from partial paralysis due to childhood polio, Lansdowne, an avid birder, began drawing birds when he was twelve years old. His watercolor paintings of birds are strikingly detailed, with brightly colored feathers that catch the eye. He often depicted these birds in their natural habitats, bringing out their unique personalities in his art.
Lansdowne’s watercolor exhibition was held at Toronto’s Royal Ontario Museum in 1956. The Government of Canada gifted his work to members of the Royal Family, and his illustrations advanced natural history. Lansdowne wrote seven books on birds, selling over 150,000 copies. He collaborated with five writers for five books and wrote two solo books. In 1966, he teamed up with John Livingston to produce Birds of the Northern Forest, followed by Birds of the Eastern Forest, Volumes I and II, in 1968 and 1970, respectively. His solo production, Birds of the West Coast, Volume I, was published in 1976 by Feheley in Toronto.
Lansdowne was a member of the Royal Canadian Academy, the Order of Canada and the Order of British Columbia