A Life in Visual Arts
Henry Sandham was a Canadian painter, illustrator, and photographer who began his artistic journey at a young age. He was employed in the photographic studio of William Notman in Montreal starting in 1864. After serving as an assistant to John Arthur Fraser, Sandham eventually became the head of the studio's art department. By 1877, he entered into a partnership with Notman, forming the studio known as Sandham & Notman. He was particularly noted for developing a technique for composite photographs, which involved mounting carefully posed individuals onto painted backgrounds. One such complex composition, featuring over 300 separate people, was recognized at the 1878 Exposition Universelle in Paris.
Illustrations and Later Career
Sandham's career expanded into illustration, including work for Scribner's Monthly and assignments for The Century Magazine. His illustrations for a study of Mission Indians in Southern California eventually served as the basis for the novel Ramona. As a painter, his repertoire included portraits, such as one of John A. Macdonald, and historic works like his mural The Birth of Liberty.
After moving to Boston, he focused more heavily on fine art, exhibiting with the Boston Art Club and the American Watercolor Society of New York. His career later took him to London, where his works were shown at the Royal Academy of Arts. He is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery.
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