Norah McCullough Collection


Collection Summary
	Title:	Norah McCullough Collection.
	Dates:	– 1936-ca. 1985.
	Quantity:	– 2.190 meters of textual records and other material.

Biographical Sketch

Norah McCullough, art teacher and historian, was born in Alliston, Ontario in 1903. She first met Canadian artist Arthur Lismer (1885-1969) at the Ontario College of Art where she attended his classes. After graduating in 1925, McCullough worked at Eaton's department store but finding the work unsatisfactory she approached Lismer for work at the Art Gallery of Toronto. McCullough was hired by Lismer, first to catalogue prints and drawings and, after 1928, to assist Lismer with his children's art classes. McCullough worked with Lismer in the Children's Art Centre at the Gallery, established in 1934, and took charge of the Centre during Lismer's tour of South Africa (1936-1937). On Lismer's recommendation, McCullough was invited to South Africa in 1938 to establish an Art Centre in Pretoria. She subsequently became an inspector for the Transvaal Education Department. McCullough returned to Canada in 1946 and worked for the National Gallery of Canada for ten years beginning in 1947. In 1958, she was appointed the Gallery's Liaison Officer for Western Canada, based in Regina. After retiring from the National Gallery in 1968, McCullough received a Canada Council grant to work on a catalogue raisonné of Arthur Lismer paintings, a project which occupied McCullough over the next five years. The catalogue was accepted for publication by Clarke Irwin in 1982 but the work was left unpublished when the company went into receivership the following year.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The collection consists of photographs, transparencies, and slides of Arthur Lismer, Lismer's friends and family, and art works by Lismer. There are also draft manuscripts for Norah McCullough's catalogue raisonné, a complete inventory of Lismer paintings (including 2 sets of index cards), and audio cassettes of Lismer's friends and acquaintances discussing his career.

Source of supplied title proper: Title based on contents of collection.

Physical description: Other material includes 1140 photographs, 24 cassettes, and 1 drawing. Photographs consist of 184 photographic images, 40 transparencies, 1210 slides, and 6 negatives.

Associated material: For further information on Norah McCullough and the Arthur Lismer catalogue, see Library and Archives Canada, Norah McCullough and Family fonds (R5899-0-2-E).

Related material: Publications received with the collection were added to the National Gallery of Canada's library. A complete list of these publications is available with the Finding Aid.

Finding aids: Box list available.

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Organization of the Collection
	This collection is organized into 3 series.

		Series 1 - Manuscripts and visual documentation related to the Lismer catalogue.
		Series 2 - Inventory for the Lismer catalogue.
		Series 3 - Sound recordings made by Norah McCullough.

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Index Terms

	Names:
		Band, Charles Shaw, 1885-1969
		Bobak, Molly Lamb, 1922-
		Casson, Alfred Joseph, 1898-1992
		Courtice, Rody Kenny, 1895-1973
		Fairley, Barker, 1887-1986
		Goldhamer, Charles, 1903-1985
		Holgate, Edwin Headley, 1892-1977
		Housser, Yvonne McKague, 1898-1996
		Jenkner, Ingrid, 1955-
		Kerr, Illingworth Holey, 1905-1989
		Lismer, Arthur, 1885-1969
		McCullough, Norah, 1903-1993
		Shadbolt, Jack Leonard, 1909-1998
		Sutcliffe, Erma, 1912-1996
	Document Types:
		Audio cassettes.
		Manuscripts.
		Photographs.
		Slides.
		Transparencies.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

[Title of item], Norah McCullough Collection, National Gallery of Canada Library and Archives

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated to the National Gallery of Canada by Norah McCullough, 1992. Audio tapes were donated to the Gallery by McCullough in 1990.

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Contact Information

Reference Services
Library and Archives
National Gallery of Canada
380 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 9N4

T 613-714-6000 ext. 6323

[email protected]

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Series Level Descriptions

Manuscripts and visual documentation related to the Lismer catalogue. – 1936-c.1985. – 0.530 meters of textual records, 243 photographs, and 1 drawing.

Series consists of 33 files, containing various versions of the manuscript for Norah McCullough's catalogue raisonné of Arthur Lismer paintings, photographs of Lismer, his family and friends, and photographs of works and pages from letters by the artist. There are also slides, transparencies, negatives, and reproduced illustrations (calendar reproductions, journal and telephone book covers) of works by the artist and works by other artists thought to have influenced Lismer. The manuscripts include parts of the text and accompanying visual material that was sent to the University of Toronto Press by Norah McCullough's friend, Ingrid Jenkner (1955- ), ca. 1987, as well as annotated copies of the catalogue with and without Northrop Frye's (1912-1991) introduction, a photocopy of the typescript submitted to Clarke Irwin, ca. 1977, and a sampling of the manuscript sent to the University of Toronto Press, 1989. Photocopies of Lismer drawings that McCullough submitted to publishers, stationary and inventory forms used to compile the Lismer catalogue, an original drawing by Arthur Lismer ("Study for Grinding Corn, Basutoland, 1936-1937"), and material related to the exhibition "Arthur Lismer Watercolours" organized by Norah McCullough at the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre (1978) also form part of the series.

Source of supplied title proper: Title based on contents of collection.

Physical description: Includes 155 photographic images, 36 transparencies, 48 slides, and 4 negatives.

Related material: See Visual Resource database records for this collection for more information about the photographs.

See Box List for this Series

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Inventory for the Lismer catalogue. – 1970-1972. – 1.660 meters of textual records, 1197 photographs.

Series consists of 4 boxes of index cards listing works by Arthur Lismer. The cards are organized both by title (2 boxes) and by owner (2 boxes). There are also inventory sheets completed by Norah McCullough for each of Lismer's works. The inventory is divided chronologically into sections which are often assigned regional divisions. Each sheet contains a description of the work and most of the sheets include a colour slide, a photograph, or a transparency of the work. The description includes the title of the work, medium, support, dimensions, an indication of whether the work has been signed and dated, a description of the painting, the current owner of the work, the date it was acquired, the provenance, exhibitions, bibliography, and comments.

Source of supplied title proper: Title based on contents of series.

Physical description: Includes 29 photographic images, 4 transparencies, 1162 slides, and 2 negatives.

Related material: See Visual Resources database records for this collection for more information about the photographs.

See Box List for this Series

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Sound recordings made by Norah McCullough. – 1971-1982. – 24 cassettes.

Series consists of recordings of friends of Arthur Lismer and Lismer collectors discussing Lismer's career. There are taped segments of reflections by A.J. Casson (1898-1992), Donald Cameron MacKay (1906-1979), Bruno Bobak (1923-), Molly Bobak (1922- ), Blanche Snell, Charles Goldhamer (1903-1985), Rody Kenny Courtice (1895-1973), Mrs. Charles S. Band, Oxford McNeill, Jack Shadbolt (1909-1998), Eldon and Mrs. Griver, Alan Paton, Barker Fairley (1887-1986), Yvonne Housser (1898-1996), Dr. John L. Parnell, Illingworth Kerr (1905-1989), Jack Turner, André Biéler, Gwen Kidd, Edwin Headley Holgate (1892-1977), Erma Lennox Sutcliffe (1912-1996), and Jean Sutcliffe. The recordings also include Norah McCullough reading Lismer's letter to Charles Band (1885-1969) regarding the Art Gallery of Ontario.

Source of supplied title proper: Title based on contents of series.

See Box List for this Series

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List of Publications

A New Angle on Canadian Art: The Cartoons of Arthur Lismer. Kleinburg: The McMichael Canadian Collection, c.1985.

Arthur Lismer: paintings 1913-1949. Toronto: The Art Gallery, 1950. (Annotated).

Bridges, Marjorie Lismer. Arthur Lismer's Pen and Pencil: A Border of Beauty. Toronto: Red Rock, ca. 1977. (Autograph copy with annotations, notes and book review).

Buchanan, Donald. Sausages and Roses: Casual Photographs from Three Continents. Ottawa: The Author, 1963. (Autograph copy with note by Norah McCullough).

Edmonton Art Gallery. Exhibition of Work by Teaching Staff of the Department of Art and Design, University of Alberta: September 14 to October 27. 1985. Edmonton: The Dept., 1985.

Evans, Myfanwy. Frances Hodgkins. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1948.

Farr, Susan. Sculpture by Sophia Hungerford. Guelph: Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, 1989. (Autograph copy).

McCullough, Norah. Folk Painters of the Canadian West. Ottawa: National Gallery of Canada, 195?. (2 copies, 1 copy annotated).

Goodrich, Lloyd. Edward Hopper. Harmondswroth: Penguin, 1949.

Gunn, Harold D. A Handbook of the African Collections of the Commercial Museum, Philadelphia. Philadelphia: The Museum, 196?.

Hill, Charles C. Canadian Painting in the Thirties. Ottawa: The National Gallery of Canada, 1975.

Jackson, A.Y. A Painter's Country. Toronto: Clarke, Irwin & Co., 1958. (Autograph copy with enclosures).

- - - - - -. 2nd ed., 1967. (Misbound copy. Pages loose).

James Kerr-Lawson: A Canadian Abroad. Windsor, Ont.: The Art Gallery, c. 1982. (Annotations and enclosures).

Jenkner, Ingrid. Cheryl Ruddock: Girl Colours. Guelph: Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, 1989.

Kunssentrum Frank Joubert Art Centre 1943-1983. Cape Town: The Art Centre, c.1983.

Kurt Jobst: Goldsmith and Silversmith: Art Metal Worker. Johannesburg: Gerrit Bakker, 1979.

Laing, G. Blair. Memoirs of an Art Dealer. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1979. (Book reviews (photocopies) enclosed).

Larrabee, Constance Stuart. Constance Stuart Larrabee: WWII Photo Journal. Washington, D.C.: National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1989. (Letter from Larrabee to McCullough enclosed).

- - - - - - . Constance Stuart Larrabee: Tribal photographs. Washington, D.C.: Corcoran Gallery of Art, 1984. (Autograph copy with enclosures).

Lismer, Arthur. Education Through Art for Children and Adults at the Art Gallery of Toronto. Toronto: The Gallery, 1936. (With enclosure).

Lois Etherington Betteridge. Silversmith: Recent Work. Hamilton: The Art Gallery, 1988.

McCullough, Norah. Arthur Lismer Watercolours. Guelph: Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, 1987. (With annotations).

- - - - - - . The Vikings Exhibition = Exposition Viking. Ottawa: The National Gallery of Canada, 1968.

McLeish, John A.B. September Gale: A Study of Arthur Lismer of the Group of Seven. Toronto: J. M. Dent, 1955. (With annotations)

- - - - - - . 2nd ed., 1973. (Annotated).

The McMichael Canadian Collection: Kleinburg, Ontario. Kleinburg: The McMichael, 1973.

The McMichael Conservation Collection of Art: Kleinburg, Ontario. Kleinburg: The McMichael, ca. 1967.

- - - - - - . c1970. (Autographed by A.Y. Jackson).

Marzolf, Helen. Scottie Wilson: The Canadian Drawings. Regina: The Dunlop Gallery, 1989.

Matisse, Henri. Chapelle du Rosaire: des Dominicaines de Vence. Vence: La Chapelle, 1955.

Mellen, Peter. The Group of Seven. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1970.

Musee National d'art Moderne (Paris, France). Retrospective Henri Matisse, 28 juillet-18 novembre 1956. Paris: Editions des Musees nationaux, 1956.

National Museum Bezalel. Twenty-eight Canadian Paintings Collected in Canada from Various Donors Through the Efforts of Mrs. Dena Joseph for a Leila Joseph Memorial Hall. Jerusalem: Central Press, 1953.

Oko, Andrew. Jan Gerrit Wyers 1888-1973. Regina: McKenzie Art Gallery, 1989.

Palko, Madelaine. Parakeets on Maynard Street. Halifax: The Artist, 1979.

Quintanilla, Luis. All the Brave: Drawings of the Spanish war. New York: Modern Age Books, 1939.

Read, Herbert. Paul Nash. 3rd ed. rev. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1948.

Reid, Dennis. Canadian Jungle: The Later Work of Arthur Lismer. Toronto: Art Gallery of Ontario, ca.1985.

- - - - - - . Collector's Canada: Selections from a Toronto Private Collection. Toronto: AGO, 1988.

- - - - - -. The Group of Seven: Selected Watercolours, Drawings and Prints from the Collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario. Toronto: AGO, 1989.

- - - - - -. Le Groupe des sept = The Group of Seven. Ottawa: The National Gallery of Canada, 1970. (Annotated)

- - - - - -. Le legs MacCallum: peintures par Tom Thomson et par d'autres peintres canadiens et le don de M. et Mme. H.R. Jackman et de panneaux decoratifs du chalet de feu du Dr. MacCallum peints par quelques-uns des membres du Groupe des Sept = The MacCallum Bequest of Paintings by Tom Thomson and Other Canadian Painters and the Mr. and Mrs. H.R. Jackman Gift of the Murals from the Late Dr. MacCallum's Cottage Painted by Some Members of the Group of Seven. Ottawa: National Gallery of Canada, 1969.

Richards, J.M. Edward Bawden. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1946.

Riddell, W.A. Cornerstone for Culture: A History of the Saskatchewan Arts Board from 1948-1978. Regina: The Board, ca.1979. (Annotated).

Rothenstein, John. Edward Burra. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1945.

Ruffman, Alan. Grim Visions: Arthur Lismer and the Halifax Explosion. Halifax: Art Gallery, Mount Saint Vincent University, 1990.

Southeby Parke Bernet (Canada) Inc. Canadian Paintings, Drawings, Watercolours, Prints and Books of the 19th and 20th Centuries: sale 52. Toronto: Sotheby's, 1981.

Swann, Peter C. Japan: from the Jomon to the Tokugawa Period. London: Methuen, 1966. (Annotated).

The True North: Canadian Landscape Painting 1896-1939. London: Lund Humphries in association with the Barbican Art Gallery, 1991.

Wilson, Francesca M. The Child as Artist: Some Conversations with Professor Cizek. S. 1.: Children's Art Exhibition Fund, 1921. (With enclosures).

- - - - - -. A Class at Professor Cizek's: Subject, Autumn. S.1. : Children's Art Exhibition Fund, 1921.

Wodehouse, R.F. A Checklist of the War Collections of World War I, 1914-1918 and World War II, 1939-1945. Ottawa: The National Gallery of Canada, 1968.

18 periodicals and annual reports, 1941-1990.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Box List



Series 1 - Manuscripts and visual documentation related to the Lismer catalogue
Box	Folder
Box 1	File 1	Photographs of Arthur Lismer and his works
	File 2	Photographs of Arthur Lismer, his friends, and his works
	File 3	Sampling of text and accompanying visual material sent to the University of Toronto by Ingrid Jenkner
	File 4	Notes related to catalogue
	File 5	Annotated typescript, including Northrop Frye introduction
	File 6	Annotated typescript, including Northrop Frye introduction
	File 7	Annotated typescript, including Northrop Frye introduction
Box	Folder
Box 2	File 8	Typescript (photocopy), including annotations, excluding Northrop Frye introduction
	File 9	Typescript (photocopy), including annotations, excluding Northrop Frye introduction
	File 10	Typescript (photocopy), including annotations, excluding Northrop Frye introduction
	File 11	Typescript (photocopy), including annotations, excluding Northrop Frye introduction
	File 12	Typescript (photocopy), including annotations, excluding Northrop Frye introduction
	File 13	Typescript (photocopy), including annotations, excluding Northrop Frye introduction
	File 14	Typescript (photocopy), including annotations, excluding Northrop Frye introduction
	File 15	Photocopies from photographs of Lismer drawings
Box	Folder
Box 3	File 16	Magazine and telephone book covers, photographs of Lismer paintings
	File 17	Typescript of forward by Northrop Frye and introduction by Norah McCullough
	File 18	Drawing by A. Lismer: "Study for Grinding Corn, Basutoland, 1936-1937", photograph
	File 19	"Arthur Lismer Watercolours." Exhibition organized by Norah McCullough, 1978
	File 20	Photographs of A. Lismer and his works
	File 21	Reproductions of Lismer paintings from 1957 Montreal Monolith Co. Ltd. calendar
	File 22	Typescript (photocopies) for Clarke Irwin, 1977
	File 23	Typescript (photocopies) for Clarke Irwin, 1977
	File 24	Typescript (photocopies) for Clarke Irwin, 1977
	File 25	Typescript (photocopies) for Clarke Irwin, 1977
	File 26	Typescript (photocopies) for Clarke Irwin, 1977
Box	Folder
Box 4	File 27	Typescript (photocopies) for Clarke Irwin, 1977
	File 28	Typescript (photocopies) for Clarke Irwin, 1977
	File 29	Typescript (photocopies) for Clarke Irwin, 1977
	File 30	Typescript (photocopies) for Clarke Irwin, 1977
	File 31	Miscellaneous colour reproductions of Lismer's work and works of artists who influenced Lismer
	File 32	Photographs from pages of African letters, sampling of Lismer catalogue sent to University of Toronto Press, stationary and inventory forms for catalogue, photographs of Lismer and his paintings
	File 33	Correspondence with Profamilia Publishing

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Series 2 - Inventory for the Lismer catalogue

Box

Folder

Box 4

File 1

Miscellaneous photographs and slides

4 boxes of index cards ("Title" and "Owner")

17 binders

1904-1916

1916-1920 - Thornhill and Halifax

1920-1923 - Local Views Bon Echo

1924-1929 - All Georgian Bay

1919-1928 - Algoma and Lake Superior

1925-1930 - Quebec and the Rockies

1927

1930-1939 - All Georgian Bay

1930-1939 - Africa and the Maritimes

1940-1946 - Georgian Bay and Some Montreal Studies

1940-1949; 1930-1931 - All Maritimes

1946 - All Georgian Bay

1950-1954 - Late Maritimes

1950-1955 - B.C. and Some Still Life

1950-1962 - Late Georgian Bay

1955-1959 - Miscellanous

1960-1968 - B.C. and Some Georgian Bay - Late Studio

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Series 3 - Sound recordings made by Norah McCullough

Box

Folder

1 box of cassettes

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