Franklin Brownell RCA (Peleg Franklin Brownell, July 27, 1857 – March 13, 1946) was one of Canada’s most important landscape painters and art educators. Known for his vibrant Canadian Impressionist paintings, Brownell captured Ottawa, Quebec, and Ontario with a modern eye, while also producing portraits, still lifes, and marine scenes. His artistic career spanned more than fifty years, making him a central figure in Canadian art history.

Born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Franklin Brownell studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston in 1879 before continuing his training at the Académie Julian in Paris (1880–1883). There, he studied under renowned French masters William-Adolphe Bouguereau, Tony Robert-Fleury, and Léon Bonnat. During this time, he befriended fellow Canadian painter William Brymner, who would influence Brownell’s decision to pursue a career in Canada.

In 1886, Brownell settled in Ottawa, where he became Headmaster of the Ottawa School of Art (1886–1900). He later led the Women’s Art Association of Ottawa, renamed the Art Association of Ottawa, from 1900 to 1937. Through his long teaching career, Brownell mentored some of Canada’s most celebrated artists, including Pegi Nicol MacLeod, Henri Masson, and Robert Tait McKenzie.

Franklin Brownell quickly established himself as a leader in the Canadian art scene. Elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (RCA) in 1895. Member of the Ontario Society of Artists in 1899. Founding member of the Canadian Art Club in Toronto in 1907, where he connected with Maurice Cullen and James Wilson Morrice

These relationships and his exposure to European trends led Brownell to adopt a brighter palette and looser brushwork, aligning him with Canadian Impressionism.

Brownell painted across Algonquin Park, the Gatineau Hills, and the Gaspé, producing some of his best-known Canadian landscapes. Between 1911 and 1915, he traveled to the West Indies, where he created luminous Impressionist works influenced by tropical light.

While celebrated for landscapes, Brownell also painted portraits, flower studies, marine views, and urban realist scenes, showing remarkable versatility. His social realist depictions of city life stand out as rare examples of Canadian artists addressing urban themes in the early 20th century.

Franklin Brownell remains a cornerstone of Canadian Impressionism and a defining figure in Ottawa’s cultural history. His ability to capture both the natural beauty of Canada and the realities of urban life ensured his reputation as one of the nation’s leading artists. Today, Brownell’s paintings are held in major public and private collections across Canada.