E.J. Hughes Collection
User Collection Public
Edward John (E. J.) Hughes was a Canadian painter best known for his paintings of British Columbia landscapes. Hughes was born 17 February 1913 in North Vancouver, and grew up in Nanaimo. After high school he attended the Vancouver School of Decorative and Applied Arts (now Emily Carr University) where he studied with Frederick Varley, graduating in 1933. When war broke out in 1939 Hughes enlisted with the Royal Canadian Artillery. While posted in England he was made an official war artist, and from 1943 to 1946 depicted war scenes in England and Alaska.
Following the War Hughes and his wife, Fern Rosabell Irvine (1916-1974), moved to Victoria. Due to financial struggles, the couple moved shortly thereafter to a cabin at Shawnigan Lake. Max Stern (1904-1984), Emily Carr's former dealer and the owner of the Dominion Gallery in Montreal, discovered Hughes's work and made a deal to buy all of his paintings. Their relationship lasted until Stern's death, and Dominion continued to buy Hughes's paintings until his death. Ed and Fern had three children - Edward, Elizabeth and Mac - all of whom died in infancy. Hughes died 5 January 2007 at age 93.
Permalink: http://vault.library.uvic.ca/collections/99c0f746-4e95-436a-90d7-e939b42c2edf
Collection Details
- Items 145
- Last Updated 2026-01-23
Works (145)
1. Untitled [Boat moored to a dock]
- Title:
- Untitled [Boat moored to a dock]
- Description:
- A small row boat moored to a dock with two human figures in the foreground.
- Subject:
- Creation (Literary, artistic, etc.), Boats and boating, Docks, Artists, Artists' preparatory studies, Landscape painters, Painters, Landscape painting, Art, Landscape painting, Canadian, Landscape painting--Technique, and Drawing
- Creator:
- Hughes, E. J. (Edward John), 1913-2007
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1926?/1967?
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
- License:
- Copyright held by the E. J. Hughes Estate.Use of this material is permitted for research and private study purposes only to the UVic researcher community. For all other uses, contact University of Victoria Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage
- Extent:
- 1 sheet ; 12 x 9.5 cm
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Condition: Good and Medium: Graphite
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- E.J. Hughes Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- drawings (visual works), pencil drawings, sketches, and grids (layout features)
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 2024-066 - Sketches
- Fonds Title:
- E. J. Hughes collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC606
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/e-j-hughes-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2025-11
- Technical Note:
- Scanned on Plustek OpticBook A300 Plus (Tiff; 600 DPI; color; cropped; resized). Larger pieces scanned on Betterlight/TTI (600 DPI; 1/15; 287; copy4Stops; camera height 1000) by LG. Metadata by KD.
2. Untitled [Cabin in the woods]
- Title:
- Untitled [Cabin in the woods]
- Description:
- Two small buildings or cabins surrounded by trees.
- Subject:
- Drawing, Landscape painting, Canadian, Artists, Landscape painting--Technique, Creation (Literary, artistic, etc.), Landscape painters, Forests and forestry, Artists' preparatory studies, Painters, Landscape painting, Trees, Art, and Dwellings
- Creator:
- Hughes, E. J. (Edward John), 1913-2007
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1926?/1967?
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
- License:
- Copyright held by the E. J. Hughes Estate.Use of this material is permitted for research and private study purposes only to the UVic researcher community. For all other uses, contact University of Victoria Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage
- Extent:
- 1 sheet ; 5 x 8 cm
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Medium: Graphite
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- E.J. Hughes Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- sketches, drawings (visual works), and pencil drawings
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 2024-066 - Sketches
- Fonds Title:
- E. J. Hughes collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC606
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/e-j-hughes-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2025-11
- Technical Note:
- Scanned on Plustek OpticBook A300 Plus (Tiff; 600 DPI; color; cropped; resized). Larger pieces scanned on Betterlight/TTI (600 DPI; 1/15; 287; copy4Stops; camera height 1000) by LG. Metadata by KD.
3. Untitled [Colourful person]
- Title:
- Untitled [Colourful person]
- Description:
- A colourful drawing of a person and his house with a couple notes describing it. Artist unknown. Date unknown.
- Subject:
- Creation (Literary, artistic, etc.), Art, Landscape painting--Technique, Children's art, Drawing, Landscape painters, Landscape painting, Artists' preparatory studies, Painters, Landscape painting, Canadian, and Artists
- Contributor:
- Hughes, E. J. (Edward John), 1913-2007
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1926?/1967?
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
- License:
- Copyright held by the E. J. Hughes Estate.Use of this material is permitted for research and private study purposes only to the UVic researcher community. For all other uses, contact University of Victoria Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage
- Extent:
- 1 sheet ; 8 x 6.25 cm
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Medium: Graphite and Condition: Good
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- E.J. Hughes Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- sketches, drawings (visual works), and notes (documents)
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 2024-066 - Sketches
- Fonds Title:
- E. J. Hughes collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC606
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/e-j-hughes-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2025-11
- Technical Note:
- Scanned on Plustek OpticBook A300 Plus (Tiff; 600 DPI; color; cropped; resized). Larger pieces scanned on Betterlight/TTI (600 DPI; 1/15; 287; copy4Stops; camera height 1000) by LG. Metadata by KD.
4. Untitled [Crate required for shipping paintings]
- Title:
- Untitled [Crate required for shipping paintings]
- Description:
- Drawing of plans for making a crate for shipping paintings.
- Subject:
- Landscape painting--Technique, Artists, Artists' preparatory studies, Art, Drawing, Crates, Landscape painting, Canadian, Painters, Landscape painting, Art--Crating, Creation (Literary, artistic, etc.), and Landscape painters
- Creator:
- Hughes, E. J. (Edward John), 1913-2007
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1926?/1967?
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
- License:
- Copyright held by the E. J. Hughes Estate.Use of this material is permitted for research and private study purposes only to the UVic researcher community. For all other uses, contact University of Victoria Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage
- Extent:
- 1 sheet ; 8 x 10 cm
- Geographic Coverage:
- British Columbia--Shawnigan Lake
- Coordinates:
- 48.65055, -123.64494
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Medium: Black ink, Condition: Good, and Note with Hughes' address: "E.J. Hughes, Shawnigan Lake, B.C. 2nd house N. of Strathcona Girl's School, same side of street"
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- E.J. Hughes Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- sketches and plans (orthographic projections)
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 2024-066 - Sketches
- Fonds Title:
- E. J. Hughes collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC606
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/e-j-hughes-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2025-11
- Technical Note:
- Scanned on Plustek OpticBook A300 Plus (Tiff; 600 DPI; color; cropped; resized). Larger pieces scanned on Betterlight/TTI (600 DPI; 1/15; 287; copy4Stops; camera height 1000) by LG. Metadata by KD.
5. Untitled [Fishing boats with nets]
- Title:
- Untitled [Fishing boats with nets]
- Description:
- Several boats with fishing nets in a body of water along the tree-lined shore.
- Subject:
- Painters, Landscape painters, Trees, Drawing, Fishing--Equipment and supplies, Artists' preparatory studies, Landscape painting, Creation (Literary, artistic, etc.), Landscape painting--Technique, Artists, Landscape painting, Canadian, Boats and boating, and Art
- Creator:
- Hughes, E. J. (Edward John), 1913-2007
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1926?/1967?
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
- License:
- Copyright held by the E. J. Hughes Estate.Use of this material is permitted for research and private study purposes only to the UVic researcher community. For all other uses, contact University of Victoria Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage
- Extent:
- 1 sheet ; 8 x 10 cm
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Medium: Graphite and Condition: Fair
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- E.J. Hughes Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- pencil drawings, sketches, and drawings (visual works)
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 2024-066 - Sketches
- Fonds Title:
- E. J. Hughes collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC606
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/e-j-hughes-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2025-11
- Technical Note:
- Scanned on Plustek OpticBook A300 Plus (Tiff; 600 DPI; color; cropped; resized). Larger pieces scanned on Betterlight/TTI (600 DPI; 1/15; 287; copy4Stops; camera height 1000) by LG. Metadata by KD.
6. Untitled [Flowering plant and fishing equipment]
- Title:
- Untitled [Flowering plant and fishing equipment]
- Description:
- A sketch of a flowering plant drawn over two pages with sketches of fishing equipment on the backs of those pages.
- Subject:
- Flowers, Landscape painting, Canadian, Artists, Fishing--Equipment and supplies, Landscape painting, Drawing, Landscape painting--Technique, Artists' preparatory studies, Plants, Painters, Art, Landscape painters, and Creation (Literary, artistic, etc.)
- Creator:
- Hughes, E. J. (Edward John), 1913-2007
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1926?/1967?
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
- License:
- Copyright held by the E. J. Hughes Estate.Use of this material is permitted for research and private study purposes only to the UVic researcher community. For all other uses, contact University of Victoria Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage
- Extent:
- 2 sheets ; 9 x 6 cm
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Medium: Graphite and Condition: Good
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- E.J. Hughes Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- drawings (visual works), sketches, and pencil drawings
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 2024-066 - Sketches
- Fonds Title:
- E. J. Hughes collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC606
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/e-j-hughes-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2025-11
- Technical Note:
- Scanned on Plustek OpticBook A300 Plus (Tiff; 600 DPI; color; cropped; resized). Larger pieces scanned on Betterlight/TTI (600 DPI; 1/15; 287; copy4Stops; camera height 1000) by LG. Metadata by KD.
7. Untitled [Flowers and hands study]
- Title:
- Untitled [Flowers and hands study]
- Description:
- Sketches of flowers and hands holding flowers and stems.
- Subject:
- Landscape painters, Creation (Literary, artistic, etc.), Landscape painting--Technique, Landscape painting, Canadian, Drawing, Art, Flowers, Artists, Painters, Artists' preparatory studies, and Landscape painting
- Creator:
- Hughes, E. J. (Edward John), 1913-2007
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1926?/1967?
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
- License:
- Copyright held by the E. J. Hughes Estate.Use of this material is permitted for research and private study purposes only to the UVic researcher community. For all other uses, contact University of Victoria Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage
- Extent:
- 1 sheet ; 12 x 8 cm
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Condition: Fair, Notes about what colours to use where., and Medium: Graphite
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- E.J. Hughes Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- pencil drawings, drawings (visual works), and sketches
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 2024-066 - Sketches
- Fonds Title:
- E. J. Hughes collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC606
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/e-j-hughes-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2025-11
- Technical Note:
- Scanned on Plustek OpticBook A300 Plus (Tiff; 600 DPI; color; cropped; resized). Larger pieces scanned on Betterlight/TTI (600 DPI; 1/15; 287; copy4Stops; camera height 1000) by LG. Metadata by KD.
8. Untitled [Forest trail, ship, and city people]
- Title:
- Untitled [Forest trail, ship, and city people]
- Description:
- Several sketches on one page including people on a trail in a forest, a ship in the water, and two of people walking on a city street.
- Subject:
- Ships, Landscape painting, Canadian, Landscape painting--Technique, Creation (Literary, artistic, etc.), Human beings in art, Landscapes, Trees, Landscape painters, Drawing, Art, Painters, Artists, Landscape painting, and Artists' preparatory studies
- Creator:
- Hughes, E. J. (Edward John), 1913-2007
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1926?/1967?
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
- License:
- Copyright held by the E. J. Hughes Estate.Use of this material is permitted for research and private study purposes only to the UVic researcher community. For all other uses, contact University of Victoria Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage
- Extent:
- 1 sheet ; 11 x 15 cm
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Condition: Good and Medium: Graphite
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- E.J. Hughes Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- drawings (visual works), pencil drawings, and sketches
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 2024-066 - Sketches
- Fonds Title:
- E. J. Hughes collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC606
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/e-j-hughes-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2025-11
- Technical Note:
- Scanned on Plustek OpticBook A300 Plus (Tiff; 600 DPI; color; cropped; resized). Larger pieces scanned on Betterlight/TTI (600 DPI; 1/15; 287; copy4Stops; camera height 1000) by LG. Metadata by KD.
9. Untitled [Gary's drawings and music]
- Title:
- Untitled [Gary's drawings and music]
- Description:
- Several drawings of people with notes about musician's roles.
- Subject:
- Human beings in art, Painters, Art, Landscape painters, Landscape painting--Technique, Creation (Literary, artistic, etc.), Landscape painting, Canadian, Artists' preparatory studies, Artists, Drawing, and Landscape painting
- Creator:
- Hughes, E. J. (Edward John), 1913-2007
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1926?/1967?
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
- License:
- Copyright held by the E. J. Hughes Estate.Use of this material is permitted for research and private study purposes only to the UVic researcher community. For all other uses, contact University of Victoria Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage
- Extent:
- 1 sheet ; 10 x 8 cm
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Condition: Fair and Medium: Graphite and black ink
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- E.J. Hughes Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- notes (documents), sketches, and drawings (visual works)
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 2024-066 - Sketches
- Fonds Title:
- E. J. Hughes collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC606
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/e-j-hughes-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2025-11
- Technical Note:
- Scanned on Plustek OpticBook A300 Plus (Tiff; 600 DPI; color; cropped; resized). Larger pieces scanned on Betterlight/TTI (600 DPI; 1/15; 287; copy4Stops; camera height 1000) by LG. Metadata by KD.
10. Untitled [Hay field and trees]
- Title:
- Untitled [Hay field and trees]
- Description:
- A field of hay in the foreground with trees and bushes in the background.
- Subject:
- Drawing, Landscape painters, Artists, Artists' preparatory studies, Landscape painting, Art, Trees, Painters, Hay, Landscape painting--Technique, Landscape painting, Canadian, and Creation (Literary, artistic, etc.)
- Creator:
- Hughes, E. J. (Edward John), 1913-2007
- Language:
- eng
- Date Created:
- 1926?/1967?
- Rights Statement:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
- License:
- Copyright held by the E. J. Hughes Estate.Use of this material is permitted for research and private study purposes only to the UVic researcher community. For all other uses, contact University of Victoria Special Collections and University Archives.
- Resource Type:
- http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/StillImage
- Extent:
- 1 sheet ; 7 x 6.5 cm
- Additional Physical Characteristics:
- Medium: Graphite and Many notes about what is being portrayed in the sketch and what colours to use where.
- Physical Repository:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Collection:
- E.J. Hughes Collection
- Provider:
- University of Victoria (B.C.). Library
- Genre:
- drawings (visual works), pencil drawings, and sketches
- Archival Item Identifier:
- Accession Number: 2024-066 - Sketches
- Fonds Title:
- E. J. Hughes collection
- Fonds Identifier:
- SC606
- Is_referenced_by:
- Special Collections finding aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/e-j-hughes-collection
- Date Digitized:
- 2025-11
- Technical Note:
- Scanned on Plustek OpticBook A300 Plus (Tiff; 600 DPI; color; cropped; resized). Larger pieces scanned on Betterlight/TTI (600 DPI; 1/15; 287; copy4Stops; camera height 1000) by LG. Metadata by KD.