James Metcalfe Maccallum, BA, MD, CM (186Q-1943)
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James Metcalfe MacCallum, BA, MD, CM (186Q-1943) Ross M. Matthews, md Monday July 14. himself full time to his painting".3 Rose at 4:15 and got off on Pine Lake In October 1912 MacCallum met at 5:30. Reached Pine portage at 5:55, Tom Thomson. He was greatly im- crossed and got off at 6:25 on Dore Lake. pressed with Thomson as a person, with The rank growth of timothy and clover on his enthusiasm for the North, which Pine portage was very noticeable. Passed more than matched his own, and with through Dore Lake and River, and French his sketches. This early work was a Lake, reaching French portage which is world away from Thomson's later mas- 3 miles long at 10:30. Crossed, had dinner MacCallum and set off at 2 P.M. on Giant's Head terpieces, yet recognized of an au¬ Lake and River, and Brule Lake, reached the first faltering expression Brule portage at 5. Crossed and camped thentic genius that in a few short years having made 40 miles. Wind fair, a little was to find fulfilment. He knew the rain, caught 5 fish. North intimately, and he recognized the article when he saw whether The was The genuine it, year 1884. writer, on canvas or birch MacCallum's James Metcalfe a panels. MacCallum, young admiration for Thomson was recipro- medical student attached to the Depart¬ cated and lasted to the time of Thom¬ ment of Indian was on a sum¬ Affairs, son's death on July 8, 1917. It was a mer round of the Indian reserves, a A.Y. Jackson that would take him into remarkable association. journey deep has said, "It was the Doctor's unswerv- northwestern Ontario. His journal, belief in the of Thomson which can be found in ing genius the University that kept the artist going. It is hard to of Toronto archives, methodically do¬ James Metcalfe MacCallum (courtesy of believe that his brilliant impressions of cumented each day of his trip, but National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa). the north few admirers the and effort country found firm. discipline required and almost no save the Doctor."4 for such a allowed little buyers journey to the Here he became In 1913 MacCallum and Lawren conscious reflection on the present day. unique with a of Harris forces in a concrete at¬ flavour of our northern wilderness. Yet acquainted group eager young joined artists as the of to the of that was its It was who, Group Seven, tempt encourage burgeoning magic casting spell. move¬ new in Canadian MacCallum's with Canada's were to pioneer a fresh creative direction art they empathy ment in Canadian art. MacCallum em¬ around them. erected North and his love for it that were recognized They a in Toronto to studio for his contribution braced their aspirations "to interpret building provide responsible unique Canada and to in the and serve as a for to Canadian art. his death in 1943 express paint space "workshop (On our artists Canadian work".5 he to the National of spirit of country".1 doing distinctly left Gallery is to con¬ Canada 83 Tom In 1911 Lawren Harris, an original MacCallum reported have paintings by Thomson, one the funds that 40 members of the of Seven* member of the Arts and Letters Club, tributed quarter of by Group were when the two and 11 others by artists contemporary introduced to MacCallum J.E.H. Mac¬ required. Later, with Donald, the father figure of this group men renovated the famous "shack" in them.) of young artists. A.Y. Jackson credited the Rosedale ravine where Tom Thom¬ MacDonald with "the first to son was to spend his final winters, the friend of Canadian art being MacCallum, dream of a school of painting in Can¬ sharing of expenses is on the record: Dr. Lawren Har¬ MacCallum's contribution to art in ada that would realize the wealth of MacCallum, $62.45; Canada with the Arts and Letters motifs we had all around us".2 Mac¬ ris, $113.57.6 began Callum was determined that those In the same Arthur Club of of which he was an year (1913) Toronto, and later Jackson were member and to motifs would include our northern Lismer A.Y. early president (1916 woods and waters. He invited Mac¬ welcome to the 1918); he was the MD among the Georgian Bay cottage only Donald to the on Geor- and too, were to re- 40 who have presided over its affairs family cottage they, encouraged gian Bay in the summer of 1911, and create the grandeur of its setting. encouraged him to capture on can- "A.Y." had been contemplating going *F. Carmichael, L. Harris, A.Y. Jackson, F. vas the essence of that country. Later to the United States, which was ana- Johnston, A. Lismer, J.E.H. MacDonald and the of thema to MacCallum: " Tf all fel¬ F.H. Varley. that year, "through prompting you Harris and the encouragement of the lows go off to the States' he growled, Reprint requests to: Dr. R.M. Matthews, 561 Weller St., Peterborough, ON K9H 2N9 doctor, MacDonald decided to devote 'art in Canada is never going to get CMA JOURNAL/APRIL 3, 1976/VOL. 114 621 anywhere'. Then he made me a sur¬ the memorial cairn that he, MacDonald tie and the waxed moustache, and the prising proposition: If I would take a and J.W. Beattyt designed and erected uninhibited bushman glorying in the studio in the building he and Harris at Canoe Lake and in the wording of freedom from the constraints of his were having erected, he would guaran- which he assuredly had a hand.) other life.16 tee my expenses for a year. Of course The group was now reforming and I This was accepted."7 perhaps "the Postwar years at their exhibition in May 1920 they most fateful and famous meeting in proclaimed their identity as "The A.Y.'s life".8 In the spring of 1918, as Lawren Group of Seven". In January 1914 Tom Thomson gave Harris wrote, "Dr. MacCallum and I That fail Varley and Lismer painted up his job as a commercial artist and took a train to the Soo, and next mor¬ memorable canvases at MacCallum's is¬ moved into one of the newly com¬ ning went up the Algoma Central Rail- land; for years the doctor would de¬ pleted studios, which he shared with road and discovered a paradise for light in showing his guests the spot A.Y., who later recalled that "the Doc¬ Canadian painters wild, rugged, where, in 1920, Lismer had painted his tor was an old football player and again tumultuous country".14 Paradise had powerful "September Gale", and the he was getting a team together".4 to be regained, and that October, and place less than 30 m away where Harris, Jackson, MacDonald and Thom¬ for three subsequent ones, some of the Varley at the same time was making son were all working full time in the group travelled the Algoma Central sketches for "Stormy Weather, Geor- "Studio Building". Frank Carmichael railway in a converted box-car, pulled gian Bay". Both artists caught the moved in later that year. Tom Thom¬ by passenger train or way freight, every power and excitement of wind and son, in his turn, painted for a while 3 or 4 days changing their siding to water, just as MacCallum had hoped at the MacCallum cottage. At this time sketch another spectacular part of the they would when he first brought them Lismer and F. H. Varley were camping Algoma country. MacCallum accom¬ to his cottage. A.Y. Jackson rated these and sketching in Algonquin Park and panied Harris, MacDonald and Frank two paintings, together with Thomson's writing enthusiastic letters to MacCal¬ Johnston on the first excursion and "West Wind", as "three of the finest lum.9 The Group of Seven it would may have joined one of the other ex- paintings ever done in Canada";17 have been eight if Thomson had lived10 cursions, but briefly.15 These trips "without the doctor there would have was taking shape. Only Frank John¬ would have been sheer delight to been no 'West Wind' ".4 ston was MacCallum as he cast in New York not yet caught off his respon¬ Now that the Group of Seven was up in the excitement of the new revo¬ sibilities to his patients, his department established it was inevitable that Mac¬ lutionary ideas that were being ex¬ and his now important role in organ¬ Callum's unique association with them plored. Just as their momentum seemed ized medicine. The two sides to his would diminish. They had had wonder- irresistible, World War I began and personality were described by his ful years together and MacCallum must . the brought the movement virtually to a daughter proper, formal ap¬ have looked back on them with plea¬ halt. pearance of the professor of ophthal¬ sure and pride. mology with the wing collar, the bow It is reasonable to believe that the canvases The war inspired of the Group of years Seven, vibrant with their vision of the tJ.W. (Bill) Beatty was an artist of the period North, an role in re- MacCallum did his best to keep at who was closely associated with several members played important least some of the group together and of the Group of Seven. vealing to Canadians the treasure in solvent by proposing a "fun commis¬ sion". Thomson, MacDonald and Lis¬ 6i3K^;lB3BK^Sl mer responded in the same spirit, and wMBi;'.