War Museum acquires art by Tom Thomson, Louis-Philippe Hébert
February 13, 2008 |
War Museum acquires art by Tom Thomson, Louis-Philippe Hébert
Ottawa, Ontario, February 13, 2008 — The Canadian War Museum announced today the acquisition of two significant works of Canadian war-related art: a painted illustration by Tom Thomson and a sculpture by Louis-Philippe Hébert, two of the country’s best-known twentieth-century artists. Both pieces were purchased November 23 at an auction in Toronto, with the help of the Museum’s National Collection Fund. They will be added to the Museum’s Beaverbrook Collection of War Art.Thomson’s The Foot Path of Peace, painted circa 1915, was purchased for $48,875. It is the first Thomson work to be accessioned to the Museum’s collection. Hébert’s Mademoiselle de Verchères was sculpted in 1905 and purchased by the Museum for $8,050.
“As these two pieces illustrate, artworks can bring to life people and events from long ago, and they can challenge us to look at war and conflict from new perspectives,” said Mark O’Neill, Director-General of the Canadian War Museum. “That is why the Museum continues to build its national collection of war art, which it holds in perpetuity for all Canadians.”
To create The Foot Path of Peace, Thomson hand-lettered the text of a poem by American Henry Van Dyke and illustrated the work with watercolour pines and an idyllic, pastoral landscape. The poem speaks of a path to personal and spiritual peace. However, Thomson painted the work during the First World War, in which he did not enlist. One theory suggests that he embraced the words of Van Dyke as a pacifist statement. Although Thomson’s true motivation remains unknown, the painting is a unique catalyst for a Canadian discussion about war and peace.
Mademoiselle de Verchères is one of the most famous of Hébert’s smaller sculptures. It honours the French-Canadian heroine Marie-Madeleine Jarret de Verchères. As a 14-year-old in 1692, say contemporary accounts, she led the successful defence of her community’s fort during an eight-day siege by Iroquois attackers when most of the men were away or had been captured. The statue brings her story to life, providing a striking example of a woman’s courage in time of war.
The National Collection Fund campaign was launched in 2006 by the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation to support the acquisition of artifacts by its two museums: the Canadian Museum of Civilization and the Canadian War Museum. Donations to the Fund help ensure that important pieces of our national heritage are not lost or dispersed.
“These are important works of art and wonderful additions to our national collection,” said Francine Brousseau, Vice-President, Development. “We are grateful for the support of generous donors who are helping the Museum achieve its fundamental goal: to present Canada’s military history and how it shaped the country and affected its people.”
The Canadian War Museum houses one of the world’s premier collections of war art. The 13,000 pieces offer a unique chronicle of Canada’s military history from pre-Confederation times to the present day.
Information (media):
Pierre Leduc
Manager, Communications
Canadian War Museum
Telephone: 819 776-8607
E-mail: pierre.leduc@warmuseum.ca.
2008-02-13 00:00:00.000
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