The Canadian Collector
Sigmund Samuel Gallery
Royal Ontario Museum
Title: The Death of General Wolfe
1776 with studio assistants; retouched in 1806
Artist: Benjamin West (American 1738-1820)
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Dimensions: 188.5 cm (height), 268.5 cm (width)
Purchased with the assistance of Col. Alexander Fraser
West painted five large versions of The Death of General
Wolfe. This one is the last. It remained in West’s gallery in
London until 1829 when it was purchased by a descendant
of Brigadier-General Monckton, Wolfe’s second in
command in Quebec. The painting remained in the family
until 1921 when it was acquired by Sigmund Samuel, for
whom Canada’s colonial history was an abiding passion.
© Royal Ontario Museum, 2007. All rights reserved.
How do you select works from an extensive collection to go on display in a permanent gallery focusing on Canada. It was a challenge for Toronto's Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). Permanent in this case means that the theme of
all works on display will have some tie to the country, though the actual items will change over time. "The idea is to choose representative pieces that speaks for the collection at large to give people an idea as to what
the nature of things are," explained Ross Fox,
Associate Curator, Early Canadian Decorative Arts, Department of World Cultures at the ROM.
Sigmund Samuel
Title: Wine Cellaret circa 1880s
Possibly the workshop of Louis Jobin (1845 - 1828)
Montreal, Quebec City and Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Quebec
Medium: Oak, Mahogany, Maple, Lead
Dimensions: 63.5 cm (height), 96.5 cm (width), 46 cm (depth)
Gift of Mr. Anthony Adamson
Certified by the Canadian Cultural Property Export Review
Board under the terms of the Cultural Property Export and Import Act
A cellaret is a storage chest and cooler for wine and was an
essential piece of dining room furniture in the homes of the
well-to-do during the 19th century. Essentially an English
form, this particular example has been “Canadianized” by
the addition of beaver and maple leaf motifs. It has been
suggested that this cellaret may be the work of Octave
Morel (1838 - 1918), a woodcarver/cabinetmaker who
worked for Louis Jobin from time to time.
© Royal Ontario Museum, 2007. All rights reserved.
"In the 1940s Sigmund Samuel decided to move his pictorial collection (watercolors, prints, etc) to the ROM. Sigmund Samuel left a trust to the ROM for the support
of the collection and also for some acquisitions." Ross added, "we wouldn't have had this Canadian collection if it weren't for Sigmund Samuel."
A noted philanthropist Sigmund Samuel was the son of the founder of Samuel, Son & Co. Ltd which
is Canada's oldest and largest steel service cent re for sheet and coil steel, the company is still in operation today. The company was founded in 1855 originally under the name M & L Samuel. Now it is known simply as "Samuel".
Title: Officer’s Room in Montreal, 1846
Artist: Cornelius Krieghoff (Dutch, 1815-1872)
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Dimensions: 66 cm (height), 84.6 cm (width)
Gift of the Sigmund Samuel Endowment Fund
Krieghoff’s oeuvre focuses primarily on the apparent daily
lives of habitants and the First Nations. But when the artist
turned his eye on his own social circle, he did so without
the patronizing overtones. A.A. Staunton, a fellow member
of the “Shakspeare” Club in Montreal, is depicted
surrounded by the natural and cultural objects – including a
number of Krieghoff’s own paintings – which he had
collected from Britain’s colonies during his career in the forces.
© Royal Ontario Museum, 2007. All rights reserved.
Ross pointed out that "our modern design collection is new and the intention is to build it, we'll see new pieces in this section every once in a while." The Gallery includes an intriguing selection of contemporary Canadian design with modern furniture and decorative arts, as well as 20th century commercial graphic art. "We've added a lot of new things. Part of the Canadian heritage and culture is Canadian associations."
History is an integral part of the exhibits. "After the war of 1812 all of a sudden everything is very English.
The fact was Anglo-Canadians before the war of 1812, no matter where they came from, 85% or more were
first or second generation Americans. It only makes sense because we didn't have the massive immigration
before the War of 1812." That is reflected within the Sigmund Samuel Gallery, there are exhibits within exhibits.
Title: Table Rock, Niagara, circa 1850
Artist: Hippolyte Victor Valentin Sebron
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Dimensions: 102 cm (height), 158 cm (width)
Gift of Dr. Sigmund Samuel
Niagara Falls was Canada’s greatest tourist attraction in the
19th century and remains one of the natural wonders of the
world. It elicited responses both literary and pictorial from
visitors who felt compelled to articulate their experience.
What is clear from Sebron’s painting is that, in the 19th
century, the Falls functioned as a great “leveler”. Regardless
of cultural or economic background, one could get near to
the Falls and be overwhelmed by nature.
© Royal Ontario Museum, 2007. All rights reserved.
Ross is responsible for the Decorative Arts portion of the Sigmund Samuel Gallery. For the paintings responsibility for this wonderful stroll through Canada's history belongs to Arlene Gehmacher, Curator of Canadian Paintings,
Prints & Drawings, Department of World Cultures.
Arlene discussed the ROM's picture collection. "Sigmund Samuel had a very specific view of Canadian history. He wanted to collect things that had something to do with Canadian subject matter. To him, Canadian history started with settlers initially so it begins
with British Imperial history and the European settlers. Subsequent curators have attempted to broaden the scope of the collection.
One of the pieces that draws attention is Sebron's Table Rock, Niagara. Arlene discussed this work, "a Parisian firm who had opened an office in New York commissioned Sebron to paint Niagara Falls. I realized that was one
painting in which their were all sorts of ethnic and cultural backgrounds represented. Niagara Falls was such a sight for people to
visit, a great tourist sight. It neutralized everybody, anyone who was nearby could go there. I thought it was an important work and it
is spectacular too."
There are so many outstanding works within the collection great portraits, landscapes and more. One that truly rings with Canadian
history is Benjamin West's The Death of Wolfe. "Most Canadians are aware of it, because it's an image that has been presented
in history works, as the marker of a certain point in Canadian history. West did five very large versions, ours was started in 1776 but there
seems to be some work done on it as late as 1804 when it was still in Benjamin West's studio. We tried to present it in such a way to
recognize it was a piece that represents a certain aspect of Canadian history. We've tried to enrich it giving different perspectives. On the right
are three texts providing commentary, mine is the ROM's voice as the curator of the collection," said Arlene.
Within the Sigmund Samuel Gallery is the Wilson Canadian Heritage Room. It is space dedicated
to providing a temporary home for exhibits of fragile and light-sensitive works.
Currently on view is Six Elegant Views, which is a set of engraved scenes of the
Gulf of St. Lawrence that were produced in London, England in 1760. Do not overlook these
wonderful images of the beautiful Canadian landscape.
Many of the pieces are making their debut in the public spaces at the ROM, thanks to their expanded premises. The ROM is known for hosting fabulous temporary exhibits such as Canada Collects currently on view. When visiting the ROM be sure to spend time walking through Canadian history in the Sigmund Samuel Gallery of Canada.
| 