Sir Edmund Wyly Grier

Sir Edmund Wyly Grier (1863-1958) was an Australian-born Canadian portrait painter. He had studied in London, Rome and Paris, before coming to St Ives with his younger brother Louis. They both lodged at 6, The Terrace, were founder members of the St Ives Arts Club in 1890, and played cricket against the Newlyn artists.

Wyly Grier rented Porthmeor Studio 11 for 9 years until 1898, but seems to have moved to London in 1892, before eventually moving to Canada. He became one of Canada’s  most important portrait painters, and his commissions included politicians, corporate leaders and other notable contemporaries. He was admitted to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, becoming its president in 1929, and was knighted in 1935.