The Ontario Society of Artists, led by president George Reid, drew a stroke of colour across winter’s white canvas in January 1900 to create the Art Museum of Toronto – later to become the Art Gallery of Ontario….

So begins a fascinating look back at the beginnings of what’s now the AGO.  The Star.com article from this week includes excerpts from various Star reports of the era, including this one about the first show in 1913, which featured future members of of the Group of Seven:

The show was dominated by “younger men,” the Star reported, with their “virile work, fearless brushing, strange, crude colour.”

There are also several great pics of more recent moments at the gallery that feature some well known faces. Note how the curves of Gehry’s chairs resemble the staircase he later added at Transformation.

Thanks to Loursdes Bettancourt (Weekend GGs) for finding this story.  The full article can be found here:

http://www.thestar.com/yourtoronto/once-upon-a-city-archives/2016/01/21/once-upon-a-city-art-finds-a-home-on-the-grange.html

 

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