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The 6 Most Famous Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith Paintings, Each One of a Kind
Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 8 works by Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith in our catalogue
In short
The Artist Painting Queen Victoria (1895) is the Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith painting that draws the most eyes; the original belongs to the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. After it, the eye goes to Daybreak (1886) and Mists and Glaciers of the Selkirks (1911). Among the 8 works of Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith in our catalog, these 6 are the most famous, each a unique original presented with its year, its museum and the reason it endures.
1846 – 1923, London
Most works: National Gallery of Canada
Top 10 paintings by Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith, through the gallery's eye
The museums that keep Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith's originals
The museum that holds the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 National Gallery of Canada |
Ottawa | 6 | The Artist Painting Queen Victoria, Daybreak, Mists and Glaciers of the Selkirks |
Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith across the decades: one unique original for each
Works per decade
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith's paintings: questions for the gallery
What is the single most famous work of Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith?Reveal the answer
The Artist Painting Queen Victoria (1895), National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Daybreak (1886) and Mists and Glaciers of the Selkirks (1911) come next.
At what age did Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith create The Artist Painting Queen Victoria?Reveal the answer
49 years old: The Artist Painting Queen Victoria dates from 1895, and Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith was born in 1846.
How many works by Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith are known?Reveal the answer
Our catalog holds 8 works by Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith, dated from 1886 to 1916.
Where can the most famous Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith originals be seen?Reveal the answer
Mostly in National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa). The museum table above lists them all.
During which period did Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith create the best-known paintings?Reveal the answer
In 1900s: 2 of the 6 works on this page were made then, Sunny Sandown, Isle of Wight among them.
Which famous Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith painting is the earliest, and which the latest?Reveal the answer
On this page, the earliest is Daybreak (1886) and the latest St. Mary-le-Strand (1916).
What Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith originals can I see at the National Gallery of Canada?Reveal the answer
The Artist Painting Queen Victoria, Daybreak and Mists and Glaciers of the Selkirks: the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa holds 6 of the works on this page.
Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith: a portrait of the artist
A Life in Canadian Landscapes
Frederic Marlett Bell-Smith was a Canadian landscape painter who emigrated from England to British North America in 1866. After studying at the South Kensington School of Art, he worked as an artist and photographer in Montreal, where he helped his father, John Bell-Smith, found the Society of Canadian Artists in 1867. His career saw him move through Hamilton, Ontario, and Toronto, and he spent time teaching art classes at various institutions, including the Ontario College of Art and the Toronto Art School. In 1896, he traveled to Paris to study at the Académie Colarossi.
Bell-Smith became well known for his depictions of the Canadian Rockies and the Selkirk Range, as well as works featuring Quebec and Maine. In 1886, he traveled to the Canadian west to paint vistas of the area, frequently returning to work near Lake Louise. He was a founding member of several prestigious organizations, including the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts and the Ontario Society of Artists.
Notable Works and Portraits
Beyond his landscapes, Bell-Smith captured scenes of late Victorian and Edwardian life. One of his most famous paintings, Lights of a City Street, portrays the intersection of Yonge and King Streets in Toronto in 1894. This work features the artist himself as a man buying a newspaper, his son as a man raising his hat, and a local constable named Bill Redford as the policeman.
Bell-Smith also achieved distinction in portraiture. He secured a sitting with Queen Victoria, who permitted him to position her as he wished during a cordial session that lasted over an hour. This achievement followed his ability to obtain sittings with Princesses Beatrice and Louise. His later work was characterized by warm accents and a sensitivity to French Impressionism.