Rethinking Professionalism: Women and Art in Canada, 1850-1970

472 Pages·2012·16.56 MB·English

by  Huneault, Kristina(Editor);Anderson, Janice

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McGill-Queen’s/BeaverbrookCanadianFoundationStudiesinArtHistory
martha langford and sandra paikowsky,serieseditors
RecognizingtheneedforabetterunderstandingofCanada’sartisticculturebothat
homeandabroad,theBeaverbrookCanadianFoundation,throughitsgeneroussupport,
makespossiblethepublicationofinnovativebooksthatadvanceourunderstandingof
CanadianartandCanada’svisualandmaterialculture.Thisseriessupportsandstimu-
latessuchscholarshipthroughthepublicationoforiginalandrigorouspeer-reviewed
booksthatmakesignificantcontributionstothesubject.Wewelcomesubmissionsfrom
Canadianandinternationalscholarsforbook-lengthprojectsonhistoricalandcontem-
poraryCanadianartandvisualandmaterialculture,includingNativeandInuitart,
architecture,photography,craft,design,andmuseumstudies.StudiesbyCanadian
scholarsonnon-Canadianthemeswillalsobeconsidered.
ThePracticeofHerProfession MuseumPieces
FlorenceCarlyle,CanadianPainter TowardtheIndigenization
intheAgeofImpressionism ofCanadianMuseums
SusanButlin RuthB.Phillips
BringingArttoLife TheAlliedArts
ABiographyofAlanJarvis ArchitectureandCraftinPostwarCanada
AndrewHorrall SandraAlfoldy
PicturingtheLand RethinkingProfessionalism
NarratingTerritoriesinCanadian WomenandArtinCanada,1850–1970
LandscapeArt,1500to1950 EditedbyKristinaHuneaultand
MarylinJ.McKay JaniceAnderson
TheCulturalWorkofPhotography
inCanada
EditedbyCarolPayneandAndreaKunard
NewfoundlandModern
ArchitectureintheSmallwoodYears,
1949–1972
RobertMellin
TheCodexCanadensisandtheWritings
ofLouisNicolas
TheNaturalHistoryoftheNewWorld,
HistoireNaturelledesIndesOccidentales
Editedandwithanintroductionby
François-MarcGagnon,
translationbyNancySenior,
modernizationbyRéalOuellet
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H/Anderson front alternate:Layout 1 2/8/12 10:08 AM Page iii
Rethinking Professionalism
Women and Art in Canada, 1850–1970
EditedbyKristinaHuneaultandJaniceAnderson
MCGILL/QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY PRESS
Montreal&Kingston • London • Ithaca
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©McGill-Queen’sUniversityPress2012 LibraryandArchivesCanadaCataloguing
inPublication
isbn 978-0-7735-3966-2
Rethinkingprofessionalism:womenand
Legaldepositfirstquarter2012 artinCanada,1850–1970/editedby
BibliothèquenationaleduQuébec KristinaHuneaultandJaniceAnderson.
PrintedinChinaonacid-freepaper. (McGill-Queen’s/BeaverbrookCanadian
Foundationstudiesinarthistory;9)Includes
Thisbookhasbeenpublishedwiththehelpof bibliographicalreferencesandindex.
agrantfromtheCanadianFederationforthe isbn 978-0-7735-3966-2(bound)
HumanitiesandSocialSciences,throughthe
AidtoScholarlyPublicationsProgram,using 1.Womenartists–Canada–History.2.Feminism
fundsprovidedbytheSocialSciencesand andart–Canada–History.3.Art,Canadian–
HumanitiesResearchCouncilofCanada. 20thcentury.4.Art,Canadian–19thcentury.
I.Huneault,KristinaII.Anderson,Janice,
FundinghasalsobeenreceivedfromConcordia 1951–III.Series:McGill-Queen’s/Beaverbrook
University’sFacultyofFineArts,Concordia’s CanadianFoundationstudiesinarthistory;9
arreProgram,administeredbytheOfficeof
theVice-PresidentforResearchandGraduate n8354.r482012
Studies,andtheCanadianWomenArtists 700.82'0971
HistoryInitiative. c2011-907833-3
McGill-Queen’sUniversityPressacknowledges
thesupportoftheCanadaCouncilfortheArts
forourpublishingprogram.Wealsoacknowl- Thisbookwasdesignedandtypesetby
edgethefinancialsupportoftheGovernmentof studiooneononeinSabon10.2/13.4
CanadathroughtheCanadaBookFundforour
publishingactivities.
Everyefforthasbeenmadetoidentify,credit
appropriately,andobtainpublicationrights
fromcopyrightholdersofillustrationsinthis
book.Noticeofanyerrorsoromissionsinthis
regardwillbegratefullyreceivedandcorrection
madeinanysubsequenteditions.
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Contents
ListofIllustrations • vii
Acknowledgments • xvii
Preface • xix
PartOne Introduction
ProfessionalismasCriticalConceptandHistoricalProcess
1
forWomenandArtinCanada • 3
kristina huneault
PartTwo ProfessionalizingArt
“WhatWouldHeHaveUsDo?”:Genderandthe“Profession”
2
ofArtistinNewBrunswickinthe1930sand1940s • 55
kirk niergarth
TheRewardsofProfessionalization:AliceLuskWebsterandthe
3
NewBrunswickMuseum,1933–53 • 83
lianne mctavish
“AStoryofStruggleandSplendidCourage”:AnneSavage’scbc
4
BroadcastsofTheDevelopmentofArtinCanada • 106
alena buis
PartThree CareersforWomen
5 HannahMaynard:CraftingProfessionalIdentity • 135
jennifer salahub
FromAmateurtoProfessional:TheAdvertisingPhotography
6
ofMargaretWatkins,1924–28 • 168
mary o’connor
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“IWeepforUsWomen”:Modernism,Feminism,andSuburbiainthe
7
CanadianHomeJournal’sHome’53DesignCompetition • 194
cynthia imogen hammond
KathleenDaly’sImagesofInuitPeople:ProfessionalArtandthe
8
PracticeofEthnography • 225
loren lerner
TheGirlsandtheGrid:MontrealWomenAbstractPainters
9
inthe1950sandEarly1960s • 259
sandra paikowsky
PartFour TheLimitsofProfessionalism
“IWanttoCallTheirNamesinResistance”:WritingAboriginal
10
WomenintoCanadianArtHistory,1880–1970 • 285
sherry farrell racette
From“NaturalizedInvention”totheInventionofaTradition:
11
TheVictorianReceptionofOnkwehonweBeadwork • 327
ruth b. phillips
Professional/Volunteer:WomenattheEdmontonArtGallery,
12
1923–70 • 357
anne whitelaw
“Marjorie’sWeb”:Canada’sFirstWomanArchitectand
13
HerClients • 380
annmarie adams
Contributors • 401
Bibliography • 405
Index • 433
vi contents
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ListofIllustrations
1.1 CharlotteSchreiber,TheHappiestLand,n.d.,oiloncanvas,71.1(cid:2)91.4cm.
CollectionoftheGlenbowMuseum,Calgary,ab,purchased,1961,61.17.
1.2 IdaBraubach,TheCanadianKitchenInterior,1871,oiloncanvas,45.4(cid:2)60.8
cm.MontrealMuseumofFineArts,giftoftheBirksFamilyFoundation.
Photograph:mmfa,ChristineGuest.
1.3 ElizabethAdelaStanhopeForbes,SchoolIsOut,1889,oiloncanvas,106.4(cid:2)145
cm.©PenleeHouseGalleryandMuseum,Penzance,Cornwall,uk/Bridgeman
ArtLibrary.
1.4 LucyJ.Goslee,FoliofromFlowersfromtheWoods,FieldsandSwampsof
Canada,1890–97,oilonstiffenedlinen,51.5(cid:2)28.0cm.ThomasFisherRare
BookLibrary,UniversityofToronto,ms9254.
1.5 AliceNolin,Modèleaurepos,c.1927,plaster,18.5(cid:2)17(cid:2)18.3cm.Collection
Muséenationaldesbeaux-artsduQuébec(1978.334).Photograph:mnbaq,
Jean-GuyKérouac.
1.6 AnonymousHuron-Wendatartist,Case,c.1850–1900,birchbark,silk,moose-
hair,cottonthread,dyes,5.5(cid:2)13(cid:2)26cm.McCordMuseumme938.10.
1.7 AliceEganHagen,ACopenhagenInspiration[Vase],1907,mineralpainton
Bavarianchina,16(cid:2)7.5cm.ThisreproductionisfromtheDesBrisayMuseum,
Bridgewater,ns.Photograph:MikeRoss.
1.8 TheobverseofoneofMrsMaynard’sphotographs,n.d.Imagehp092016,
courtesyoftheRoyalbcMuseum,bcArchives.
1.9 EugénieGagné,Mrs.WingSingandSon,Montreal,QC,1890–1895,silversalts
onpapermountedoncard-albumenprocess,17(cid:2)12cm.McCordMuseum,
mp–1984.44.1.2.
1.10 MaryG.Hall,TheCityofSt.John,NewBrunswick,1835,hand-colouredlitho-
graphonwovepaper,14.4(cid:2)22.7cm(image).CourtesyoftheNewBrunswick
Museum,SaintJohn,nb,w1519.
1.11 FrancesRichards,Portrait,c.1884–87,oiloncanvas,40.7(cid:2)30.6cm.National
GalleryofCanada,Ottawa.Photograph©ngc.
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1.12 Artists’advertisements,TorontoSaturdayNight,14November1896.
1.13 AliceEgan’sstudioinHalifax’sRoyBuilding,1898–99.HistoryCollection,Nova
ScotiaMuseum.
1.14 MaryKateGraham,LookingacrosstheParade,c.1910,oiloncanvas,30.8(cid:2)
23.0cm.Collectionofnscad University.PhotographcourtesyoftheArtGallery
ofNovaScotia.
1.15 MaryEllaDignam,Landscape,1900,oilonacademyboard,25.5(cid:2)32.6cm.Art
GalleryofOntario,giftofSydneyK.Herman,Toronto,1997,©2011ago.
1.16 HannahRuskKelly,Untitled[MotherandChild],n.d.,watercolouronivory,
9.0(cid:2)7.2cm.ArtGalleryofHamilton,giftofMrsE.B.Carter,59.5.9.
1.17 “TheCharcoalClass–SketchesbythePupilsoftheOntarioSchoolofArt,”
CanadianIllustratedNews,15May1880.
1.18 LilianeTucker(active1893–1901),AcademyNude,1893–94,charcoalonpaper,
61.8(cid:2)46.6cm.MontrealMuseumofFineArts.Photograph:mmfa,Jean-
FrançoisBrière.
1.19 ElizabethWynWood,MunitionsWorker,17March1944,plasterpaintedgreen
oversilver,84.4(cid:2)55.5(cid:2)40cm.NationalGalleryofCanada,Ottawa.Photograph
©ngc.
2.1 Photographofananonymousstudent,inBarbaraFisher,“SummerArtCenter
UncorksTalentsattheUniversityofNewBrunswick,”ChristianScience
Monitor,29June1946.CourtesyofChristianScienceMonitor
(www.CSMonitor.com).
2.2 PegiNicolMacLeod’srugdesign,Pony,1941,watercolourovergraphiteon
board,56(cid:2)71cm.CourtesyoftheNewBrunswickMuseum,SaintJohn,nb,
1995.27.145.14.
2.3 PegiNicolMacLeodatworkonamuralforWoodstockVocationalSchool,1941.
Photograph:MadgeSmith.CourtesyoftheProvincialArchivesofNew
Brunswick,MadgeSmithPhotographs,p120–23–58.
2.4 ElizabethSutherland,paneldepictingdomesticwork,SaintJohnVocational
Schoolmural,1940,insitu,HarbourViewHighSchool,SaintJohn,nb.
Photograph:KirkNiergarth.
2.5 ElizabethSutherland,WinterAfternoon,c.1939,pastelonbrownkraftpaper,
40.2(cid:2)49.3cm.CourtesyoftheNewBrunswickMuseum,SaintJohn,nb,
a45.748.
2.6 VioletGillett,FreedomfromWant,1943,paintedplaster,38(cid:2)39.7(cid:2)27.5cm.
CourtesyoftheNewBrunswickMuseum,SaintJohn,nb,2008.10.1.
2.7 JuliaCrawford,Boy,1946,oiloncanvas,57.5(cid:2)42.7cm.CourtesyoftheNew
BrunswickMuseum,SaintJohn,nb,a68.98.
2.8 LucyJarvis,Kathleen,1939,charcoalonlaidpaper,47.7(cid:2)36.3cm.Courtesy
oftheNewBrunswickMuseum,SaintJohn,nb,a54.744.
viii list of illustrations
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3.1 UnidentifiedmembersoftheLadies’AuxiliaryoftheNaturalHistorySocietyat
theNewBrunswickMuseum’sOrientalExhibition,January1924,gelatinsilver
printonmountedcard.CourtesyoftheNewBrunswickMuseum,SaintJohn,
nb,x16534.
3.2 CasefeaturingChineseartfromtheArtDepartmentoftheNewBrunswick
Museum,c.1935,arrangedbyAliceLuskWebster.CourtesyoftheNew
BrunswickMuseum,SaintJohn,nb,nbm–f41–6.
3.3 OverallviewofdisplaycasesintheArtDepartmentoftheNewBrunswick
Museum,1930s–1940s.CourtesyoftheNewBrunswickMuseum,SaintJohn,
nb ,nbm–f41–14.
3.4 DisplaycasesintheArtDepartmentoftheNewBrunswickMuseum,1930s–
1940s.CourtesyoftheNewBrunswickMuseum,SaintJohn,nb,nmb–f41–22.
3.5 CasethatincludesChineseHandynasty(206bce–220ce)ceramics.Courtesyof
theNewBrunswickMuseum,SaintJohn,nb,nbm–f41–22.
3.6 CasethatincludestombfiguresdatingfromtheT’angperiod(618–906ce).
CourtesyoftheNewBrunswickMuseum,SaintJohn,nb,nbm–f41–1.
4.1 AnneSavageatBaronByngHighSchool,c.1939.CourtesyoftheAnneSavage
fonds,ConcordiaUniversityRecordsManagementandArchives.
4.2 AnneSavageUntitled(TreesagainstMountains,SkeenaRiverRegion,B.C.),
1927,oilonwood,23(cid:2)30.5cm.NationalGalleryofCanada,Ottawa.
Photograph©ngc.
4.3 AnneSavageteachingstudentsatBaronByngHighSchool,c.1940s.Courtesy
oftheAnneSavagefonds,ConcordiaUniversityRecordsManagementand
Archives.
4.4 AnneSavagepaintingoutdoors,c.1920s.CourtesyoftheAnneSavagefonds,
ConcordiaUniversityRecordsManagementandArchives.
4.5 AnneSavage,Saint-Sauveur,c.1935,oiloncanvas,78.8(cid:2)102cm.National
GalleryofCanada,Ottawa.Photograph©ngc.
5.1 HannahMaynard,[TheAtHome](multipleexposure),c.1893.Image
hp092057,courtesyoftheRoyalbcMuseum,bcArchives.
5.2 LadyClementinaHawarden,PortraitwithEmbroideryandCamera,c.1862–63.
Photograph©VictoriaandAlbertMuseum,London.
5.3 [PortraitofHannahMaynardwithAppliquéandEmbroideredPillowandCrazy-
Quiltfootstool],c.1880s.Imagehp068253,courtesyoftheRoyalbcMuseum,
bcArchives.
5.4 HannahMaynard,HannahandRichardMaynardoutsideofMrs.RMaynard’s
Studio,c.1880s.Imagehp056736,courtesyoftheRoyalbcMuseum,bc
Archives.
5.5 HannahMaynard,[OnDisplay:MaynardandHerSouvenirs],c.1893.Image
hp093205,courtesyoftheRoyalbcMuseum,bcArchives.
list of illustrations ix