TABLE OF CONTENTS
Scope and Contents of the Collection
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Box List
Thoreau and J.E.H. MacDonald Collection:
Finding Aid
Collection Summary |
||
| Title: | Thoreau and J.E.H. MacDonald collection. | |
| Dates: | - 1898-1966; predominant 1898-ca. 1930. | |
| Quantity: | - 6 items of textual records, 71 items of graphic material and 2 zinc plates. | |
Biographical Sketch
Thoreau MacDonald (1901-1989), Canadian designer and illustrator, and his father, J.E.H. MacDonald (1873-1932), Canadian artist and founding-member of the Group of Seven, worked as graphic artists at various stages of their careers, creating book covers, illustrations, end papers and book-plates. Thoreau MacDonald, in particular, made book illustration his personal interest, establishing his own Woodchuck Press (late 1930s) and catering to a new vogue for Canadian-made book-plates and labels (1890s-1930s). Despite his long experience in book design, J.E.H. MacDonald created only about 20 book-plate designs in his lifetime.
Return to the Table of Contents
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The collection consists of works by Thoreau MacDonald including: 44 studies and designs for book-plate, collection, and picture labels for various individuals and institutions, 1 pencil sketch of an earlier version of the J.E.H. MacDonald Designs for Bookplates cover design, and 2 Christmas cards. There are also 2 installation photographs of the Art Gallery of Ontario Group of Seven exhibition (1920), and 1 photograph of Thoreau MacDonald's long-term companion, Canadian artist Yulia Biriukova (1895-1972), both annotated by Thoreau MacDonald. The collection further includes 2 zinc plates for two book-plates designed by J.E.H. MacDonald (created for Edward Everett Norwood and Mary Rose Norwood), 1 letter (dated Dec. 24,1898) and 1 postcard, both addressed by J.E.H. MacDonald to his future wife Joan, 16 photographs of the Rocky Mountains by J.E.H MacDonald, and 6 photographs from J.E.H. MacDonald's western tour.
Source of supplied title proper: Title based on contents of collection.
Physical description: Includes: 28 prints, 6 studies, 3 sketches, 1 letter, 1 postcard, 3 envelopes and 1 note.
Immediate source of acquisition: Items were purchased by the National Gallery of Canada from Ritchie's Auctioneers and Appraisers of Antiques and Fine Art, Toronto, 1992 and 1993. The 16 photographs of J.E.H. MacDonald's trip to the Rocky Mountains were purchased by the National Gallery of Canada from Tom Robe Photography, Toronto, 1993.
Arrangement: Collection is organized based on auction lots.
Associated material: For more information, see Visual Resources database record for this collection.
Finding aids: Box list available.
General note: Publications forming part of the collection are listed with the finding aid for the collection and have been added to the National Gallery of Canada's library collection.
Return to the Table of Contents
Index Terms |
||
| Names: | ||
| Biriukova, Yulia, 1895-1972 | ||
| MacDonald, J.E.H., 1873-1932 | ||
| MacDonald, Thoreau, 1901-1989 | ||
| Subjects: | ||
| Bookplates, Canadian | ||
| Document Types: | ||
| Bookplates. | ||
| Books. | ||
| Cards. | ||
| Photographs. | ||
| Sketches. | ||
Return to the Table of Contents
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
[Title of item], Thoreau and J.E.H. MacDonald collection, Library and Archives, National Gallery of Canada.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Items were purchased by the National Gallery of Canada from Ritchie's Auctioneers and Appraisers of Antiques and Fine Art, Toronto, 1992 and 1993. The 16 photographs of J.E.H. MacDonald's trip to the Rocky Mountains were purchased by the National Gallery of Canada from Tom Robe Photography, Toronto, 1993.
Return to the Table of Contents
Contact Information
Cyndie Campbell
Head, Archives, Documentation and Visual Resources
Library and Archives
National Gallery of Canada
380 Sussex Drive
P.O. Box 427, Station A
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 9N4
T 613-990-0597
F 613-990-9818
ccampbel@gallery.ca
Return to the Table of Contents
List of Publications
MacDonald, Thoreau, J.E.H. MacDonald Designs for Bookplates, Woodchuck Press, 1966. (autographed and annotated)
Return to the Table of Contents
Return to the Table of Contents