**a pioneer in canadian art**

israel rafalsky, known professionally as william raphael, was a prussian-born canadian painter of portraits, still lifes, genre scenes, and landscapes. he is best recognized for his vibrant depictions of montreal's harbour and market life.

**early life and training**

born in nakel, west prussia, on august 22, 1833, israel rafalsky received a rigid academic training at the berlin school of fine art under johann eduard wolff and karl begas. this foundational education would later influence his diverse artistic expressions.

**establishing himself in canada**

in 1856, rafalsky emigrated to new york city, then moved to montreal in 1857, where he spent the remainder of his life. initially, he worked at notman's studio and with a.b. taber, painting photograph portraits. over time, he became a noted artist, exploring various subjects including flora, fauna, religious scenes, and anatomical drawings.

**notable works and exhibitions**

* immigrants at montreal (1866), later titled behind bonsecours market, purchased by the national gallery of canada in 1957. * exhibited with the society of canadian artists in montreal (1867), of which he was a founder. * featured at the centennial exposition in philadelphia (1876), the royal society of british artists (1877–1878), and the colonial and indian exhibition in london (1886).

**legacy and record sales**

* a retrospective of his work was organized by galerie walter klinkhoff in montreal in 1996. * at the cowley abbott auction, bonsecours market (1864) realized a price of $33,600.00, and encampment by the river (1871) sold for $57,600.00.

• view more of israel rafalsky's artwork on ArtsDot: [https://ArtsDot.com/@/israel-rafalsky](https://ArtsDot.com/@/israel-rafalsky)
• explore the national gallery of canada's collection: /en/art/show/art-d3c657-en/
• learn more about william raphael on wikipedia: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/william_raphael](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/william_raphael)

**conclusion**

israel rafalsky's artistic legacy continues to captivate audiences with its diverse expressions of canadian life. his contributions to the development of canadian art are undeniable, making him a pioneer in the country's artistic history.