90 Treasures, 90 Stories, 90 Years The complete texts of the exhibition Presented at the McCord Museum From March 18 to September 11, 2011. Introduction A treasure has value as an intimate and immediate reminder of the past, a world we no longer know, but which has shaped the one we live in. For 90 years, the McCord Museum has been collecting and preserving invaluable artifacts from the past, building a source of great wealth for present and future generations. This exhibition features a selection of our most treasured objects. Our curators have each chosen those objects from our collections which offer the richest stories. They uncover the hidden meanings and mysteries lying at the heart of their worth. We invite you to come unlock secrets of past lives, of events and circumstances, from the most momentous to the most everyday and personal. A veritable treasure trove awaits you. See nine Montreal artists' personal favourites and listen to curators' comments in the podcasts on the iPod. The iPod icon on a label indicates that A podcast is available. Artists − Marie Chouinard, Executive and Artistic Director, Compagnie Marie Chouinard − Choreographer, dancer and author − Claude Cormier, Landscape Artchitect and Principal, Claude Cormier architectes paysagistes inc, Montréal − Heidi Hollinger, Photographer and television host − Helmer Joseph, Fashion designer − Yves Léveillé, Pianist and composer − Melissa Mongiat and Mouna Andraos, Interactive designers − Lorraine Pintal, Artistic and general director, Théâtre du Nouveau Monde − Sylvain Rivard, Multidisciplinary artist, specialixing in First Nations art − Ricardo Trogi, Director and screenwriter Curators − François Cartier, Curator, History and Archives − Cynthia Cooper, Curator, Costume and Textiles − Guislaine Lemay, Curator, Material Culture − Hélène Samson, Curator, Notman Photographic Archives − Christian Vachon, Associate Curator, Paintings, Prints and Drawings 2 The McCord Museum was founded thanks to the vision of a collector with a passion for Canadian history, David Ross McCord. A lawyer by profession, in the 1880s McCord began expanding the already considerable collection assembled by his family since their arrival in Canada from Ireland in 1760. Sparing neither time nor money, he combed the length and breadth of the country in search of the finest and most historically significant objects to tell stories of First Peoples, New France and Quebec, defining wars in Canada's history, and influential individuals. These three objects are from McCord's personal collection and bear witness to his historical interests. Beaded horsehair basket, the first object entered in David Ross McCord’s original register book 1840-1846 Mi’kmaq Glass beads, cotton, silk, horsehair Gift of David Ross McCord McCord Museum, M1 Commission of Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac, obtained by David Ross McCord from a direct descendant of soldier and explorer Paul Le Moyne de Maricourt May 15, 1690 Sepia ink on laid paper Gift of David Ross McCord McCord Museum, M499 Locket containing a lock of hair from Major-General James Wolfe, one of David Ross McCord’s most admired figures 1759 Gold-plated copper alloy, glass, hair, silk Gift of David Ross McCord McCord Museum, M253 3 Treasure 1 Miniature Dorset carving (2400-1100 BP) representing a man and a polar bear joined at the chest 2400-1100 BP Dorset Ivory Gift of the Arctic Institute of North America McCord Museum, M21060 This miniature Dorset-culture carving may allude to Northern people’s belief that all living creatures had both human and animal qualities. They believed that both were alike and could speak to one another and even change from animal to human form at will. The lines on the figures evoke the skeletons, a symbol of their souls. Treasure 2 Diary and drawings compiled by Richard Henry Stevenson during his captivity in a German prisoner-of-war camp 1944-1945 Ink, watercolour and graphite on vellum paper Gift of Richard and Sarah Stevenson McCord Museum, M2005.153.3 In April 1944 when his ship was torpedoed, Canadian naval officer Richard Henry Stevenson fought for his life in the waters of the English Channel. Stevenson spent the rest of the war in Marlag “O,” a German prisoner-of-war camp for Allied sailors near Bremen. He kept a diary, detailing the sinking of his ship and his subsequent lengthy and tedious captivity until his liberation by the Allies in spring 1945. François Cartier Treasure 3 Birchbark handkerchief case with moosehair embroidery 1850-1900 Huron-Wendat Birchbark, moosehair, silk, cotton thread, dyes Gift of Mr. Henry W. Hill 4 McCord Museum, ME938.10 A Huron-Wendat woman, probably from Wendake near Quebec City, made this handkerchief case. Moosehair embroidery on birchbark blended traditional knowledge with a European aesthetic introduced by the Ursuline nuns. First taught to Aboriginal girls, this technique gained popularity among Canadian needle workers of French and British origin, giving rise to a truly transcultural art form. Guislaine Lemay Treasure 4 Photograph of a solar eclipse, by William Notman in collaboration with scientist Charles Smallwood 1869 William Notman (1826-1891) Albumen print Gift of Mrs. Joan C. McDougall McCord Museum, N-1977.18.2.1 On August 7, 1869, William Notman recorded the phases of a solar eclipse on a wet collodion glass plate in collaboration with Charles Smallwood, then Director of the McGill University Observatory. As photography was still in its infancy and labour-intensive at the time, this scientific experiment represented a technical feat. It was documented in an article in the Canadian Naturalist. Hélène Samson Treasure 5 Early rubber-soled girl’s boots with moosehair embroidery 1868-1875 Wool, rubber, moosehair embroidery Gift of Dr. William P. Baker McCord Museum, M2006.118.1.1-2 These rubber-soled girl’s boots are the earliest known labelled item of Canadian- manufactured dress. They offer a glimpse into the early use of this material in footwear, less than two decades after manufacturing began in Montreal. The logo of the Canadian Rubber Company of Montreal Limited, registered in 1866, is stamped on the sole. Perhaps most surprising is the moosehair embroidery on 5 the wool uppers. It attests to an Aboriginal presence within a putting-out system for mass-produced goods. Cynthia Cooper Treasure 6 Beothuk caribou bone pendant found on Rencontre Island, Newfoundland, in 1847 1600-1800 Beothuk Caribou bone, hematite (red ochre) Gift of the Natural History Society of Montreal McCord Museum, ACC1141.1 This mysterious Beothuk pendant is from a small group of objects collected on Recontre Island, Newfoundland, by Reverend M. Blackmore in 1847. The last surviving member of this people, a woman named Shanawdith, died in 1829. This pendant is a sad reminder of the sometimes disastrous consequences of the contact between some Aboriginal groups and Europeans. The use of such pendants and the significance of the engraved patterns remain a mystery. Perhaps they hung on the fringe of Beothuk clothing or served as amulets. Treasure 7 Medieval English manuscript granting an annuity between Philipp [Godrich] and John Snow 1290 Sepia ink on parchment, wax McCord Museum, M7151 This manscript takes us back to the Middle Ages – Marco Polo had returned from Venice laden with Asian spices, the spinning wheel had just been invented and William Wallace (also known as “Braveheart”) was fighting to keep Scotland free from its English oppressors. Written in Latin, on parchment (prepared animal skin), the manuscript is from a collection of European documents acquired by David Ross McCord. A wax seal, in lieu of a signature, guaranteed the document’s authenticity. 6 Treasure 8 Admission ticket for the 1876 International Exhibition in Philadelphia, with bearer William Notman’s photograph 1876 William Notman (1826-1891) Albumen print mounted on card, ink Gift of Mrs. James Geoffrey Notman McCord Museum, M978.191.1 Photographer William Notman designed this admission ticket for the 1876 International Exhibition in Philadelphia. The ticket was his own, as his portrait shows. Notman had the visionary idea of adding the bearer’s photograph to admission tickets in order to control access to the site. His idea contributed to the development of the modern photo identity card. Treasure 9 Règlement de la confrérie de l’adoration perpétuelle du S. Sacrement et de la bonne mort, the first book printed and published in Montreal 1776 Ink on laid paper, card Gift of David Ross McCord McCord Museum, M242 Dating from 1776, Règlement de la confrérie … is a vital witness to the early days of printing in Montreal. Fleury Mesplet (1734-1794) came from France to the United States and then settled in Montreal to pursue his career as a printer. He became a leading figure in the burgeoning Canadian literary movement. Treasure 10 18th-century pipe bowl, possibly of Anishinaabe origin, carved to represent a man’s face 1760-1780 Great Lakes, possibly Anishinaabe Wood, lead and brass inlays, brass wire, bird quills, hide strips, pigment Gift of the Natural History Society of Montreal McCord Museum, M11030 7 Aboriginal people attributed sacred properties to tobacco. It allowed men to communicate with the spirit world, as the smoke carried their words and requests to the other world. The carved bowl represents a man’s face, and its painted designs allude to tattoos or war paint. The horse- or dragon-like creature curving behind the head may portray a benevolent spirit from the Underworld. Guislaine Lemay Treasure 11 Canadiens hockey sweater worn by Maurice Richard, number 9 1943-1953 Wool knit Gift of the Estate of Maurice Richard McCord Museum, M2002.56.1 Hockey icon Maurice “Rocket” Richard wore this sweater in the first half of his career. During the 1944-1945 season, Richard made hockey history, scoring a record 50 goals in as many games. He was a hero for many French Canadians prior to the Quiet Revolution, and his 1955 suspension for the season led to the infamous riot.