Walter James Baber

Walter James Baber (24 August 1855 – 18 October 1924) was an English-Canadian artist who is best known for painting landscapes in watercolour. Although he previously worked as an artist in England and Europe, Baber is most associated with his views of British Columbia, stemming from his residence at New Westminster for over twenty years.

Biography Walter James Baber was born in Knightsbridge within London on 24 August 1855. The family business was a floorcloth factory, handed down some time after 1798 to his great-grandfather James Baber, and descending to his father, also named James Baber. His father was additionally a painter. Little is known of Walter's early life, but by 1881 he was working as an artist while living in Croydon, Surrey.

In 1897, Baber, with his wife Edith and son Malcolm, emigrated to Canada, their destination being Victoria in British Columbia. On arrival, believing that living on an island would be a disadvantage, they settled on the mainland. Their initial residence was in Burnaby, on Tenth Avenue opposite the present site of New Westminster Secondary School, just across the boundary from New Westminster. Here their daughter Elsie was born. In 1902, they moved to Fifth Street in New Westminster proper, remaining in the same location until his death. and it is known that he taught students privately. His subjects were usually landscapes along with occasional city views. The settings were primarily in British Columbia, particularly in the Lower Mainland and on the Pacific coast. Other locations included Alberta, the United Kingdom, and Europe. In 2000, four of his works were displayed at the Vancouver Maritime Museum. In 2023, his painting B.C. Lake appeared in an exhibition of watercolours at the Petley Jones Gallery in Vancouver.

Baber's paintings are in the collections of the Vancouver Art Gallery (12 works), the City of Vancouver Archives (6 works), the Vancouver Maritime Museum (5 works), and the University of Victoria Legacy Art Galleries (3 works). A record price of $1,400 CAD for one of his watercolours was achieved in 2024 for The Narrows, Stanley Park.