Peter and Catharine Whyte
Encyclopedia
Peter and Catharine Whyte were twentieth century Canadian artists from Banff
, Alberta
known for their landscape paintings of the Canadian Rockies
. Their paintings and extensive collection of regional artifacts formed the genesis of what would later become the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies
. The Alpine Club of Canada
has dedicated the Peter and Catharine Whyte Hut
which is situated on the Peyto Glacier
after the duo.
Growing up in Banff, Peter enjoyed various outdoor activities and sports, including skiing, hiking, and horseback riding. He also showed an interest in art, and soon learned to paint from local artists. The rugged beauty of the mountains and the larch-filled valleys inspired him to sketch and paint the world around him. He eventually considered painting as a career. Belmore Browne, an outdoorsman and painter, and Nora Drummond-Davis
, an illustrator, provided Peter with private lessons in painting and illustration.
Peter learned landscape techniques from studying the work of Belmore Browne, Aldro T. Hibbard, Carl Rungius
, and the Group of Seven
painter J. E. H. MacDonald
. MacDonald visited Lake O'Hara in 1924 and returned every year to paint. Peter accompanied MacDonald on many of his outings, painting alongside the famous artist. In 1925, Peter painted with Aldro T. Hibbard, who encouraged him to enroll at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts
in Boston. It was here in 1925 that Peter Whyte first met Catharine Robb.
During summer vacations in Seal Harbor, Maine, Catharine dated John D. Rockefeller III for a time. In December 1924, Catharine made her social debut at Boston's Hotel Somerset. But New England's high society did not interest her. Inspired by her mother's artistic interests, Catharine began her art education at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in 1925.
What began as a casual friendship between the two art students slowly grew into a more intimate relationship, as they discovered their shared views on religion, philosophy, and life. Between semesters, Peter returned to Banff to work for the Brewster Transport Company, writing long letters to Catharine. When Catharine's father died in February 1927, Peter provided comfort and support. During this time, Peter openly declared his feelings for Catharine, and by the spring of 1928, Catharine reciprocated.
After graduating from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in 1929, Peter proposed to Catharine, and she accepted. During their long-distance engagement, Peter travelled to Japan, China, Hong Kong, Hawaii, and Italy, working on steamships to pay his way. He wrote long love letters to his fiancee during this period.
. From their home in the Canadian Rockies, the Whytes spent significant time together hiking in the mountains and painting the grandeur of the surrounding landscape. They painted at Lake O’Hara, Lake Louise, Skoki Valley, Bow Lake, Mount Assiniboine, Yoho, Wenkchemna Pass, and the Banff area, creating striking landscape paintings of the mountains, lakes, glaciers, and larch trees of the Canadian Rockies.
Since her formal training did not include landscape painting, Catharine studied and learned from her husband. Together, they often painted in the company of outstanding artists. Contemporaries Carl Rungius, Belmore Brown, and J. E. H. MacDonald
provided a strong influence with their theories and use of color.
Peter and Catharine committed themselves totally to their art, leading them at times to study remote mountain areas, unique landscapes, and the dramatic skies of Western Canada. Peter’s work often incorporated obscure mountain views with somber mystic hues of blues, browns, and greens. Catharine’s sketches often focused around rays of light and swirling clouds. Together, their life’s work produced a consistent and distinct sense of place.
In the early 1930s, the young couple, along with Peter's older brother and other members of the Ski Club of the Canadian Rockies, constructed a lodge in the remote Skoki Valley region northeast of Lake Louise. In 1932, Peter and Catharine took over management of Skoki Ski Lodge
. The following years were happy ones. The Whytes enjoyed the company of friends, the majesty of the landscape around them, and the outdoor world that offered them so much. Their home served as a gathering place for visiting artists and friends.
In 1933, tragedy struck when one of their Skoki Lodge guests, MIT mathematician Dr. Raymond Paley, died in an avalanche on Fossil Mountain after wandering off alone, despite warnings by the Whytes. Although found innocent of any responsibility, Peter took the accident very hard.
In 1934, they set out from Hawaii on an extensive world tour that took them to Japan, China, Bali, Java, Sumatra, France, England, Germany, and the Swiss Alps
. The young couple enjoyed painting and sketching side by side, capturing a beautiful Japanese landscape or the smiling faces of Bali children. When painting and sketching became difficult, Peter focused his energies on photography, recording the many places they visited. After eighteen months of travel, Peter and Catharine finally returned home to North America in the fall of 1934.
Travel had always played an important role in their creative life together, providing both a sense of adventure and inspiration for their art. In 1938, they set out again on a trip to Switzerland, Norway, and Scotland. They returned from their travels early, however, due to the growing tensions in Europe.
, Peter enlisted in the reserve army and reported for basic training duty with the Calgary Highlanders at Sarcee Camp. He worked as a photographer, taking ID pictures and other menial tasks. In April 1944, Peter entered a painting in an art contest, winning a $50 second prize for his effort. More important than the money, Peter Whyte was named an official war artist. The Group of Seven
painter A. Y. Jackson
was on the committee that appointed him to his new position.
During the war years, Catharine became a member of the Red Cross and donated considerable time and money to supporting the soldiers. She sent many packages over to the soldiers in Europe. Catharine's brother left his high-paying job in Boston to enlist in the army.
As a war artist, Peter was given considerably more autonomy, traveling from post to post, capturing the army life on canvas. While serving as a war artist, Peter created over 50 paintings to support the war effort. He was discharged on November 10, 1944.
Catharine's responsibilities managing their home took precedence over her painting. She did not create a major painting after 1939. She once wrote: "I have decided that life is a balancing of things. If you want one thing you have to give up another, you just can't have or do all you want, and it means trying to figure out which of the alternatives to choose. Peter and I have our life into the kind where we work as a team and we do practically everything together. We like it that way and feel we do better doing things together."
In 1952, Peter was diagnosed with cataract
s in both eyes. Complicated by an ongoing bout with alcoholism, Peter struggled for the next six years, trying to paint everything he could while the eyes could still see. After a second cataract operation, Peter continued to produce large canvases of the Stoney peoples, many of which ended up in the Luxton Museum established by Norman Luxton
.
In 1958, Peter and Catharine formed a foundation to ensure the survival of their collection. This decision led to the amazing collection that would become one of the most important in North America.
Following Peter’s death on December 3, 1966, Catharine began a new life on her own, focusing her energies on community, travel, and conservation. She also rediscovered her passion for skiing, which reintroduced her to a life of youthful enthusiasm. At the age of 63, she received her pilot's license from the Chinook Flying School. She became an important patron of the arts, providing significant financial support to the Banff Center. Catharine also gave significant funding to the I.D.E.A. project, Intercultural Development and Education through the Arts. She continued to support the Stoney people, both financially and through her support of their arts and crafts. In 1970, the Stoney people honored her by making her a blood sister and giving her the name Princess White Shield.
In her later years, Catharine Whyte received many honors, including an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Calgary
in 1969, Outstanding Citizen of the Year by the Banff Kiwanis
Club in 1969, and the Award of Merit from the Historical Society of Alberta in 1978. That same year, she received Canada's highest civilian honor, the Order of Canada
.
In 1979, Catharine Whyte died of cancer. She was 72 years old.
Today, the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies occupies a 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) site by the Bow River, and is one of the most important museums dedicated to the art and culture of the Rocky Mountains. It serves as a beautiful legacy of two people who loved the Canadian Rockies and its people.
The Skoki Ski Lodge was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1992.
Banff, Alberta
Banff is a town within Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It is located in Alberta's Rockies along the Trans-Canada Highway, approximately west of Calgary and east of Lake Louise....
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
known for their landscape paintings of the Canadian Rockies
Canadian Rockies
The Canadian Rockies comprise the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains range. They are the eastern part of the Canadian Cordillera, extending from the Interior Plains of Alberta to the Rocky Mountain Trench of British Columbia. The southern end borders Idaho and Montana of the USA...
. Their paintings and extensive collection of regional artifacts formed the genesis of what would later become the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies
Whyte Museum
The Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies is located in Banff, Alberta, Canada. The museum collects, preserves, exhibits, and makes available for research and education materials related to the cultural heritage of the Rocky Mountains of Canada and other mountains around the world...
. The Alpine Club of Canada
Alpine Club of Canada
The Alpine Club of Canada is a mountain club with a National Office in Canmore, Alberta that has been a focal point for Canadian mountaineering since its founding in 1906. The club was co-founded by Arthur Oliver Wheeler, who served as its first president, and Elizabeth Parker, a journalist for...
has dedicated the Peter and Catharine Whyte Hut
Peter and Catharine Whyte Hut
The Peter and Catharine Whyte Hut, also known as the Peyto Hut, is an alpine hut located on the northern tip of the Wapta Icefield in Banff National Park. It is nicknamed the Peyto hut due to its proximity on the Peyto Glacier. The hut is maintained by the Alpine Club of Canada.The hut sleeps 18...
which is situated on the Peyto Glacier
Peyto Glacier
Peyto Glacier is located in the Canadian Rockies in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada, approximately northwest of the town of Banff, and can be accessed from the Icefields Parkway. Peyto Glacier is an outflow glacier from the Wapta Icefield, which rests along the Continental divide...
after the duo.
Peter in the Canadian Rockies
Peter Whyte was born January 22, 1905, the son of Dave White, a dry goods merchant from Banff who once worked as a Canadian Pacific Railway section man at Sawback, near Banff. Peter’s mother, Annie Curren White, was the daughter of John Donaldson Curren, who worked as a coal scout and painter. Dave White developed friendships with some of the traveling Stoney Indians, whose ancient hunting trail ran near White's Sawback section house.Growing up in Banff, Peter enjoyed various outdoor activities and sports, including skiing, hiking, and horseback riding. He also showed an interest in art, and soon learned to paint from local artists. The rugged beauty of the mountains and the larch-filled valleys inspired him to sketch and paint the world around him. He eventually considered painting as a career. Belmore Browne, an outdoorsman and painter, and Nora Drummond-Davis
Nora Drummond
Nora Drummond , also known as Nora Drummond-Davis, was an English, and later Canadian, artist and illustrator, whose work typically featured dogs and country pursuits.- Life :...
, an illustrator, provided Peter with private lessons in painting and illustration.
Peter learned landscape techniques from studying the work of Belmore Browne, Aldro T. Hibbard, Carl Rungius
Carl Rungius
Carl Clemens Moritz Rungius was a leading American wildlife artist. He was born in Germany though he immigrated to the United States and he spent his career painting in the western United States and Canada...
, and the Group of Seven
Group of Seven (artists)
The Group of Seven, sometimes known as the Algonquin school, were a group of Canadian landscape painters from 1920-1933, originally consisting of Franklin Carmichael , Lawren Harris , A. Y. Jackson , Franz Johnston , Arthur Lismer , J. E. H. MacDonald , and Frederick Varley...
painter J. E. H. MacDonald
J. E. H. MacDonald
James Edward Hervey MacDonald was a member of the famous Group of Seven Canadian artists. He is the father of Thoreau MacDonald.-Life:...
. MacDonald visited Lake O'Hara in 1924 and returned every year to paint. Peter accompanied MacDonald on many of his outings, painting alongside the famous artist. In 1925, Peter painted with Aldro T. Hibbard, who encouraged him to enroll at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts
School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is an undergraduate and graduate college located in Boston, Massachusetts, dedicated to the visual arts. It is affiliated with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in partnership with Tufts University...
in Boston. It was here in 1925 that Peter Whyte first met Catharine Robb.
Catharine in New England
Catharine Robb was born June 13, 1906 in Concord, Massachusetts, and raised in an affluent household. Her father, Russell Robb, studied engineering at MIT and quickly became senior vice-president and treasurer of a successful engineering firm. Her mother, Edith Morse Robb, ran a successful embroidery design company.During summer vacations in Seal Harbor, Maine, Catharine dated John D. Rockefeller III for a time. In December 1924, Catharine made her social debut at Boston's Hotel Somerset. But New England's high society did not interest her. Inspired by her mother's artistic interests, Catharine began her art education at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in 1925.
Love and education
In late 1925, Catharine Robb met a quiet, dark-haired Canadian named Peter Whyte, who she described in one journal entry as her "Scotch friend." Together, they pursued a fairly traditional course of study, which included anatomy, figure drawing, and portrait painting.What began as a casual friendship between the two art students slowly grew into a more intimate relationship, as they discovered their shared views on religion, philosophy, and life. Between semesters, Peter returned to Banff to work for the Brewster Transport Company, writing long letters to Catharine. When Catharine's father died in February 1927, Peter provided comfort and support. During this time, Peter openly declared his feelings for Catharine, and by the spring of 1928, Catharine reciprocated.
After graduating from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in 1929, Peter proposed to Catharine, and she accepted. During their long-distance engagement, Peter travelled to Japan, China, Hong Kong, Hawaii, and Italy, working on steamships to pay his way. He wrote long love letters to his fiancee during this period.
Life in the Canadian Rockies
On June 30, 1930, after Catharine completed her course of study, Peter and Catharine were married under an apple tree before 300 guests at the Robb estate. They moved to Banff and built a log home and studio between Banff and the Bow RiverBow River
The Bow River is a river in the Canadian province of Alberta. It is a tributary of the South Saskatchewan River, and is considered the headwater of the Nelson River....
. From their home in the Canadian Rockies, the Whytes spent significant time together hiking in the mountains and painting the grandeur of the surrounding landscape. They painted at Lake O’Hara, Lake Louise, Skoki Valley, Bow Lake, Mount Assiniboine, Yoho, Wenkchemna Pass, and the Banff area, creating striking landscape paintings of the mountains, lakes, glaciers, and larch trees of the Canadian Rockies.
Since her formal training did not include landscape painting, Catharine studied and learned from her husband. Together, they often painted in the company of outstanding artists. Contemporaries Carl Rungius, Belmore Brown, and J. E. H. MacDonald
J. E. H. MacDonald
James Edward Hervey MacDonald was a member of the famous Group of Seven Canadian artists. He is the father of Thoreau MacDonald.-Life:...
provided a strong influence with their theories and use of color.
Peter and Catharine committed themselves totally to their art, leading them at times to study remote mountain areas, unique landscapes, and the dramatic skies of Western Canada. Peter’s work often incorporated obscure mountain views with somber mystic hues of blues, browns, and greens. Catharine’s sketches often focused around rays of light and swirling clouds. Together, their life’s work produced a consistent and distinct sense of place.
In the early 1930s, the young couple, along with Peter's older brother and other members of the Ski Club of the Canadian Rockies, constructed a lodge in the remote Skoki Valley region northeast of Lake Louise. In 1932, Peter and Catharine took over management of Skoki Ski Lodge
Skoki Ski Lodge
The Skoki Ski Lodge National Historic Site of Canada was built in 1930-31 in the Skoki Valley of Canada's Banff National Park. Built by local members of the Ski Club of the Canadian Rockies, the lodge was the first commercial building built specifically to serve skiers in Canada, and possibly in...
. The following years were happy ones. The Whytes enjoyed the company of friends, the majesty of the landscape around them, and the outdoor world that offered them so much. Their home served as a gathering place for visiting artists and friends.
In 1933, tragedy struck when one of their Skoki Lodge guests, MIT mathematician Dr. Raymond Paley, died in an avalanche on Fossil Mountain after wandering off alone, despite warnings by the Whytes. Although found innocent of any responsibility, Peter took the accident very hard.
World travel
To escape the painful memories of Skoki, Peter and Catharine traveled to Chicago, San Francisco, and then on to Hawaii, where they spent several months living in a beach-front bungalow on Hanalei Bay, Kauai. They fell in love with the Hawaiian climate, people, and culture. They painted numerous Hawaiian landscapes and several portraits of locals they met during their stay.In 1934, they set out from Hawaii on an extensive world tour that took them to Japan, China, Bali, Java, Sumatra, France, England, Germany, and the Swiss Alps
Swiss Alps
The Swiss Alps are the portion of the Alps mountain range that lies within Switzerland. Because of their central position within the entire Alpine range, they are also known as the Central Alps....
. The young couple enjoyed painting and sketching side by side, capturing a beautiful Japanese landscape or the smiling faces of Bali children. When painting and sketching became difficult, Peter focused his energies on photography, recording the many places they visited. After eighteen months of travel, Peter and Catharine finally returned home to North America in the fall of 1934.
Travel had always played an important role in their creative life together, providing both a sense of adventure and inspiration for their art. In 1938, they set out again on a trip to Switzerland, Norway, and Scotland. They returned from their travels early, however, due to the growing tensions in Europe.
The war years
At the outbreak of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Peter enlisted in the reserve army and reported for basic training duty with the Calgary Highlanders at Sarcee Camp. He worked as a photographer, taking ID pictures and other menial tasks. In April 1944, Peter entered a painting in an art contest, winning a $50 second prize for his effort. More important than the money, Peter Whyte was named an official war artist. The Group of Seven
Group of Seven (artists)
The Group of Seven, sometimes known as the Algonquin school, were a group of Canadian landscape painters from 1920-1933, originally consisting of Franklin Carmichael , Lawren Harris , A. Y. Jackson , Franz Johnston , Arthur Lismer , J. E. H. MacDonald , and Frederick Varley...
painter A. Y. Jackson
A. Y. Jackson
Alexander Young Jackson, was a Canadian painter and a founding member of the Group of Seven.- Early life and training :...
was on the committee that appointed him to his new position.
During the war years, Catharine became a member of the Red Cross and donated considerable time and money to supporting the soldiers. She sent many packages over to the soldiers in Europe. Catharine's brother left his high-paying job in Boston to enlist in the army.
As a war artist, Peter was given considerably more autonomy, traveling from post to post, capturing the army life on canvas. While serving as a war artist, Peter created over 50 paintings to support the war effort. He was discharged on November 10, 1944.
The later years
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Peter and Catharine traveled extensively and continued to paint and draw. They dedicated their lives primarily to painting the Canadian Rockies, and to collecting local art and historical material. They enjoyed entertaining their numerous friends, who regularly stopped over for tea, conversion, and laughter.Catharine's responsibilities managing their home took precedence over her painting. She did not create a major painting after 1939. She once wrote: "I have decided that life is a balancing of things. If you want one thing you have to give up another, you just can't have or do all you want, and it means trying to figure out which of the alternatives to choose. Peter and I have our life into the kind where we work as a team and we do practically everything together. We like it that way and feel we do better doing things together."
In 1952, Peter was diagnosed with cataract
Cataract
A cataract is a clouding that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye or in its envelope, varying in degree from slight to complete opacity and obstructing the passage of light...
s in both eyes. Complicated by an ongoing bout with alcoholism, Peter struggled for the next six years, trying to paint everything he could while the eyes could still see. After a second cataract operation, Peter continued to produce large canvases of the Stoney peoples, many of which ended up in the Luxton Museum established by Norman Luxton
Norman Luxton
Norman K. Luxton was a pioneer in the Canadian Rockies known as "Mr. Banff" . With John Voss, he attempted to sail around the world in a dug-out canoe...
.
In 1958, Peter and Catharine formed a foundation to ensure the survival of their collection. This decision led to the amazing collection that would become one of the most important in North America.
Following Peter’s death on December 3, 1966, Catharine began a new life on her own, focusing her energies on community, travel, and conservation. She also rediscovered her passion for skiing, which reintroduced her to a life of youthful enthusiasm. At the age of 63, she received her pilot's license from the Chinook Flying School. She became an important patron of the arts, providing significant financial support to the Banff Center. Catharine also gave significant funding to the I.D.E.A. project, Intercultural Development and Education through the Arts. She continued to support the Stoney people, both financially and through her support of their arts and crafts. In 1970, the Stoney people honored her by making her a blood sister and giving her the name Princess White Shield.
In her later years, Catharine Whyte received many honors, including an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
in 1969, Outstanding Citizen of the Year by the Banff Kiwanis
Kiwanis
Kiwanis International is an international, coeducational service club founded in 1915. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Current membership is 240,000 members in 7,700 clubs in 80 nations...
Club in 1969, and the Award of Merit from the Historical Society of Alberta in 1978. That same year, she received Canada's highest civilian honor, the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
.
In 1979, Catharine Whyte died of cancer. She was 72 years old.
Legacy
In 1968, a museum was constructed with Peter and Catharine Whyte's collection forming the centerpiece. Catharine remained actively involved with the museum for the rest of her life. After Catharine’s death, the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies was named in their honor and expanded to include two heritage homes, including the Whyte home, and four log cabins.Today, the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies occupies a 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) site by the Bow River, and is one of the most important museums dedicated to the art and culture of the Rocky Mountains. It serves as a beautiful legacy of two people who loved the Canadian Rockies and its people.
The Skoki Ski Lodge was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1992.