Arthur H. Hider

Arthur H. Hider, born in London, England in 1870, was a prominent Canadian painter and commercial illustrator. At the tender age of two, he relocated to Canada, where his artistic journey began. By the age of fifteen, Hider had secured an apprenticeship with a lithographer in Toronto, setting the stage for a remarkable career in illustration.

For sixty years, Hider dedicated his talents to Rolph-Clark-Stone, where he became renowned for his calendar illustrations. His work was highly sought after, with Gerlach Barlow Co. commissioning several of his paintings for their calendars. One of his most notable contributions was the artwork depicting Robin Hood for the cover of the Robin Hood Flour Cook Book, a piece that remained in use long after its initial creation.

In addition to his commercial work, Hider gained recognition for his paintings that illustrated the Boer War. His color print titled 'Canadians at the Battle of Paardeberg, February 1900,' created in nineteen hundred and one, stands as a significant symbol of Canadian involvement in South Africa. Interestingly, despite the powerful imagery, Hider never witnessed the frontlines himself, and his artistic interpretation diverged notably from the barren landscapes described by eyewitnesses.