McMichael Canadian Art Collection
Encyclopedia
The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is an art gallery in Kleinburg, Ontario
, Canada, northwest of Toronto
. It houses an extensive collection of paintings by Tom Thomson
, the Group of Seven
and their contemporaries, and First Nations
and Inuit
artists.
The core of this art collection and the very gallery itself are the result of the dreams and vision of two people. Signe and Robert McMichael were, on first sight, completely captivated by the paintings of the Group of Seven which seemed to embody the same love and respect they had for the Canadian landscape.
In 1954, they built a four-room log house using salvaged pioneer hand-hewn logs and fieldstone
on their ten acres of wooded land in Kleinburg. The following year, they purchased Montreal River, a small oil sketch by Lawren Harris
and subsequently, Pine Island by Tom Thomson
. Even though the young couple had to sacrifice and pay for these paintings in installments, in the words of Robert McMichael, “they were hooked”.
Their dream of creating a permanent art centre which celebrated Canadian art took shape long before the formal establishment of a public gallery. Their vision included Tom Thomson
, the Group of Seven
and their contemporaries, and Aboriginal art. Their private collection grew through astute purchases, and also through donations from other private collectors and the artists themselves who believed in what the McMichaels were trying to achieve.
By the early 1960s, the McMichaels’ personal collection had grown to the point where thousands of people a year, including local school groups, were asking to see the art collection in their home. In 1964, Robert and Signe McMichael wrote to the Honourable John Robarts
, Premier of Ontario, to express their desire to donate their art collection and property to the Province of Ontario, for the benefit of all Canadians. On November 18th, 1965, the formal agreement was signed which gifted 194 works of art, the buildings and land to the Province. On July 8th 1966, the McMichael Conservation Collection of Art was officially opened.
After becoming a public institution, the collection continued to grow through the ongoing support and donations from Signe and Robert McMichael, as well as many other private collectors. The McMichaels continued to live at the gallery as unpaid curators-in-residence until their retirement in 1981.
The McMichael Canadian Art Collection grew out of the dream of two people and has become a national treasure honouring Canada’s cultural heritage.
Kleinburg, Ontario
-External links:* * *...
, Canada, northwest of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. It houses an extensive collection of paintings by Tom Thomson
Tom Thomson
Thomas John Thomson , also known as Tom Thomson, was an influential Canadian artist of the early 20th century. He directly influenced a group of Canadian painters that would come to be known as the Group of Seven, and though he died before they formally formed, he is sometimes incorrectly credited...
, the Group of Seven
Group of Seven (artists)
The Group of Seven, sometimes known as the Algonquin school, were a group of Canadian landscape painters from 1920-1933, originally consisting of Franklin Carmichael , Lawren Harris , A. Y. Jackson , Franz Johnston , Arthur Lismer , J. E. H. MacDonald , and Frederick Varley...
and their contemporaries, and First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
and Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
artists.
The core of this art collection and the very gallery itself are the result of the dreams and vision of two people. Signe and Robert McMichael were, on first sight, completely captivated by the paintings of the Group of Seven which seemed to embody the same love and respect they had for the Canadian landscape.
History
Robert (1921-2003) and Signe (1921-2007) were married in 1949 and worked together at Robert McMichael Studios, their wedding photography business in Toronto. During the 1950s, Robert also established a successful New York-based company called Travel Pak Limited which he eventually sold so that he could devote his full attention to the gallery.In 1954, they built a four-room log house using salvaged pioneer hand-hewn logs and fieldstone
Fieldstone
Fieldstone is a building construction material. Strictly speaking, it is stone collected from the surface of fields where it occurs naturally...
on their ten acres of wooded land in Kleinburg. The following year, they purchased Montreal River, a small oil sketch by Lawren Harris
Lawren Harris
Lawren Stewart Harris, CC was a Canadian painter. He was born in Brantford, Ontario and is best known as a member the Group of Seven who pioneered a distinctly Canadian painting style in the early twentieth century. A. Y. Jackson has been quoted as saying that Harris provided the stimulus for the...
and subsequently, Pine Island by Tom Thomson
Tom Thomson
Thomas John Thomson , also known as Tom Thomson, was an influential Canadian artist of the early 20th century. He directly influenced a group of Canadian painters that would come to be known as the Group of Seven, and though he died before they formally formed, he is sometimes incorrectly credited...
. Even though the young couple had to sacrifice and pay for these paintings in installments, in the words of Robert McMichael, “they were hooked”.
Their dream of creating a permanent art centre which celebrated Canadian art took shape long before the formal establishment of a public gallery. Their vision included Tom Thomson
Tom Thomson
Thomas John Thomson , also known as Tom Thomson, was an influential Canadian artist of the early 20th century. He directly influenced a group of Canadian painters that would come to be known as the Group of Seven, and though he died before they formally formed, he is sometimes incorrectly credited...
, the Group of Seven
Group of Seven
Group of Seven can refer to:*G7 - the "Group of seven" industrially advanced nations .*Group of Seven - a group of Canadian landscape artists....
and their contemporaries, and Aboriginal art. Their private collection grew through astute purchases, and also through donations from other private collectors and the artists themselves who believed in what the McMichaels were trying to achieve.
By the early 1960s, the McMichaels’ personal collection had grown to the point where thousands of people a year, including local school groups, were asking to see the art collection in their home. In 1964, Robert and Signe McMichael wrote to the Honourable John Robarts
John Robarts
John Parmenter Robarts, PC, CC, QC was a Canadian lawyer and statesman, and the 17th Premier of Ontario.-Early life:...
, Premier of Ontario, to express their desire to donate their art collection and property to the Province of Ontario, for the benefit of all Canadians. On November 18th, 1965, the formal agreement was signed which gifted 194 works of art, the buildings and land to the Province. On July 8th 1966, the McMichael Conservation Collection of Art was officially opened.
After becoming a public institution, the collection continued to grow through the ongoing support and donations from Signe and Robert McMichael, as well as many other private collectors. The McMichaels continued to live at the gallery as unpaid curators-in-residence until their retirement in 1981.
The McMichael Canadian Art Collection grew out of the dream of two people and has become a national treasure honouring Canada’s cultural heritage.