Research Collections

W.H. McMahon Joins The Mounties 1885

https://archives.whyte.org/en/permalink/artifactmcw.05.02%20a-g
Artist
William Hastings McMahon (1864 – 1956, Canadian)
Date
1885 – 1956
Medium
watercolour on paper
Catalogue Number
McW.05.02 a-g
Description
Wood frame with white matting. 6 windows in the matting, 5 watercolour paintings and 1 photograph. Four of the watercolour paintings are in the four corners, a larger watercolour is places just about centre and the photograph is shown below. under each window is an inscription refrencing the image …
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Artist
William Hastings McMahon (1864 – 1956, Canadian)
Title
W.H. McMahon Joins The Mounties 1885
Date
1885 – 1956
Medium
watercolour on paper
Description
Wood frame with white matting. 6 windows in the matting, 5 watercolour paintings and 1 photograph. Four of the watercolour paintings are in the four corners, a larger watercolour is places just about centre and the photograph is shown below. under each window is an inscription refrencing the image it is associated with. At the top is a large inscription reading “WHMcMahon Joins The Mounties. 1885.” All the writing is done in an ornate calligraphy.A: Image (top left): “The Raw Recruit” Viewer looks on into a blue room, facing a doorway and hallway. At the end of the hall a faded figure in blue pants and a red coat stand at attention. In the foreground, a soldier in a red coat, blue pants and white helmet stands in full profile view with rifle at his side. He faces the right side of the image. On the Right side a gentlemen (in a fine suit and hat) stands in full profile facing the left side of the image. He carries a suit case and walking stick. B: Image (bottom left): “First Uniform ill fitting” A man in a red coat, blue pants, and orange hat faces the viewer directly. The coat and pants are bumpy with lots of folds. in the back ground there are plain buildings and a dirt ground.C: Image (center top): “Who told you to dismount, Sir?” Blue skies look over a large area of dirt ground where a man sits in a brown shirt and blue pants. His right arm reaches down to his butt. His hat lays beside him on the right edge of the picture. In the center of the image a dark brown horse is painted mid-buck with the reins flying over his head and his ears pinned back. There is no rider on the saddle. Another man, in a red coat, stands in the distance on the left edge with his hand outstretched. In the background there is a large white building with a large British flag flying above. A faded fourth figure stands in the background. F: Image (Center bottom): “N.W.M.P. Barracks, Banff) It is a photograph (Can be found in archives V265/NA-66-37) Nine figures in brown uniforms stand in front of a yellow building with a brown roof. The man furthest to the left holds the reins of a dapple gray horse. A white dog sits between two of the center figures who are laying on the ground. Based off information at the Archives of Alberta the man laying down to the right of the dog is the artist, William Hastings McMahon. Two more horses pull a cart on the right edge. with a tenth figure in the cart. E: Image (top right): “Drill” A man in a red coat faces a line of marching soldiers in brown coats. He is slightly leaning forward and holds a long stick in his hands. Another figure in a red coat stands in the background. The surrounding environment is a mixtures of browns. Three faded buildings. D: Image (bottom right): “McMahon, N.W.M.P” A proud man faces the viewer directly. He is in a red coat, blue pants and black boots. The background is faded. One building is visible in the background and a woman figure in the far left. G: Frame and Calligraphy script on mat board
Subject
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
R.C.M.P
landscape
barrack
banff
mounties
North West Mounted Police
N.W.M.P
watercolour
Credit
Gift of Jack McMahon, Edmonton, 2018
Catalogue Number
McW.05.02 a-g
Images
Less detail
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