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The 1 Most Famous Robert Harris Paintings, a Gallery Selection
Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 15 works by Robert Harris in our catalogue
In short
Of all the originals Robert Harris left, the most famous is Portrait of O.R. Jacobi, President of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (1892), in the collection of the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Our catalog holds 15 works by Robert Harris; the gallery has kept the 1 the world admires most, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.
1849 – 1919, Caerhun
Most works: National Gallery of Canada
Robert Harris's top 10 paintings: the gallery's choice
The museums that keep Robert Harris's originals
The museum that holds the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Robert Harris | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 National Gallery of Canada |
Ottawa | 1 | Portrait of O.R. Jacobi, President of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts |
Robert Harris year by year: the originals that define each
1892 is the year of every dated Robert Harris work in this selection: here they are, ranked by fame.
Works per year
Pick a year to see its originals.
1892
Portrait of O.R. Jacobi, President of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts
Age 43
1 work this year
Collectors' questions about Robert Harris's paintings
Which work is Robert Harris most famous for?Reveal the answer
Portrait of O.R. Jacobi, President of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (1892).
What age was Robert Harris when Portrait of O.R. Jacobi, President of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts was made?Reveal the answer
43 years old: Portrait of O.R. Jacobi, President of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts dates from 1892, and Robert Harris was born in 1849.
How many paintings did Robert Harris leave?Reveal the answer
Our catalog holds 15 works by Robert Harris.
In which museums do Robert Harris's masterpieces hang?Reveal the answer
Mostly in National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa). The museum table above lists them all.
Robert Harris: life and work
A Life in Portraiture
Born in Caerhun, United Kingdom, Robert Harris moved to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, in 1856. His early interest in art was nurtured by his mother, leading him to sketch images from magazines to practice his drawing. Seeking formal instruction, he traveled to study in Boston at the Lowell Institute, London at the Slade School of Art and the Heatherly School of Fine Art, and finally in Paris at the Atelier Bonnat.
Harris established a significant reputation as a distinguished portrait painter in Canada. His notable works include:
Artistic Evolution and Legacy
Throughout his career, Harris transitioned from an academic style to a mode influenced by Impressionism. In the late 1900s, he began incorporating fluid brushwork and vibrant color into his formal academic portraiture. He was a founding member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts and served as its president in 1893.
Harris taught at the Ontario School of Art and the Art Association of Montreal. His legacy is preserved through the Robert Harris Collection and Archives, which includes his 1883 preparatory sketches for The Fathers of Confederation. This collection is housed at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. He died in Montreal and was buried in Charlottetown.