Modernity and Post-Colonialism: The Heart of the Empire (1909) by F.M. Bell-Smith

The article provides a "contrapuntal reading" of Frederic M. Bell-Smith's painting, The Heart of the Empire (1909). Born in the UK, Bell-Smith emigrated to Canada at age 21 in the confederation year of 1867. Although Bell-Smith also painted country landscapes,The Heart of the Empire depicts a busy confluence in London's financial district known as Bank Junction. The author contrasts the painting with Niels Moeller Lund's 1904 work, which had the same title. Contextual themes of gender, industrialization (notably, the newspaper industry), nationalism, modernity, neo-imperialism, and post-colonialism are also explored. By pointing to the painting's layers of meaning, the author intends to promote dialogue on post-confederation Canadian art.