The Carl Schaefer Collection of Thoreau Macdonald Material Let
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The Carl Schaefer Collection of Thoreau MacDonald material Let~ers from Thoreau MacDonald to Schaefer, 1924-75; a large collection of Christmas and occasional cards, several of which are originals; original lino-cuts; printer's proofs of lino-cuts and pen drawings; printed material; clippings. '3 Extent: a boxes: 2 ft. Gift of Carl Schaefer, November, 1986. Biographical note: Carl Fellman Schaefer was born in Hanover, Ontario, in 1903. He studied at the Ontario College of Art, 1921-24, after which he worked as an assistant to such artists as J.E.H. MacDonald and Emanuel Hahn and as an itinerant church decorator and sign painter. He taught art at the Central Technical School, Toronto, 1930-1940, as well as at Trinity College Schoo[L, Port Hope. He held his first show in 1924 and first exhibited with the Ontario Society of Artists in 1925, the Group of Seven, 1928, and the Canadian Group of Painters, 1933; he was given a joint show with David Milne, Paraskeva Clark and Caven Atkins by the Art Gallery of Toronto in 1932. During the 1930's, Schaefer painted the Hanover landscapes for which he perhaps became best-known. Schaefer was the first Canadian painter to be awarded a Guggenheim Foundation fellowship and he spent 1940-41 painting in Vermont near -. Dartmouth College. He returned to teaching at the Central Technical School and Trinity College School, 1941-1943, then was invited to become an official war artist and enlisted with the R.C.A.F. in 1943. He was attached to various bomber squadrons in England and Northern Ireland until 1944, posted to Iceland and then Rockcliffe, and discharged in 1946 after creating over 100 works for the Canadian War Records. In 1948, Schaefer was appointed an instructor at the Ontario College of Art and taught there until 1970. During the 1950's, he also began teaching at the Doon School of Fine Arts, where he discovered Waterloo County and a subject to replace the Hanover landscape he had painted earlier. He now teaches at the Schneider school of Fine Art at Actinolite, Onto Schaefer's friendship with Thoreau MacDonald dates back to the days when Schaefer was a student under J.E.H. MacDonald at the Ontario College of Art, 1921-24. He and Thoreau were constant visitors at the Studio Building in those days. They corresponded during the years that Schaefer worked outside Toronto, and when Schaefer and his wife and family settled in Toronto, they were frequent Sunday visitors at the J.E.H. MacDonald home in Thornhill. Schaefer has continued to visit Thoreau ever since. As the letters show, they stimulated one another by discussions of art and literature. Each described his own work, applauding and sometimes criticizing the other's work. The letters also contain a running commentary on the a-~ scene of the period, with numerous references to members of the • Group of Seven, Frederick Banting, Lowrie Warrener.and others. Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library 240 Gift of Carl Schaefer of materials by and about • Thoreau MacDonald. November, 1986 • Box 1 Letters from Thoreau MacDonald to Carl Schaefer. 1924. Dec. 17. Toronto, The Studio Building, 25 Severn st. A.L.S., 1 leaf. Hopes addressee will come to the Group of Seven show, and visit the MacDonalds. Describes the painting . his father, J.E.H. MacDonald is working on, "Rain in the Mountains," and includes a pencil drawing of it. With letter-head of J.E.H. MacDonald, designer. (Schaefer is Iiving in Hanover) • 1925•.Jan•. Toronto, The. Studio Building, 25 Severn St •. A.L.S. l.leaf. Describes in detail changes which he thinks addressee should make to a woodcut (actually a lino cut). Speaks enthusias tically of the exhibition by The Group, especially "Mr. Harris's mountains." With letter-head of stylized tree, Thoreau MacDonald. 1925~ Apr. 7. Toront<;>,_The Studio. Buildi~g, .?5.Severn st. A..LiS" LJ.,eaf. Describes a British show which he has just seen at the Gallery• He especially admires the work of the Nash brothers. With Thoreau MacDonald's letter-head. Encloses 2 newspaper pictures • of paintings, one by Chas. Sheeler. With envelope. 1925. June 10. Toronto, the Studio Building, 25 Severn st. A.L.S. 1 leaf. with letter-head of Thoreau MacDonald. Writes about a Russian exhibition at the Toronto Art Gallery, which he admires. Encloses an article about it by Bess Hausser .(Later Mra~Lawren Harris), and an article by his father, A Glimpse of the West from the Canadian Bookman, Nov, 1924. With envelope, addressed to Schaefer who is still in Hanover. 1925. July 16. Toronto, Studio Building, 25 Severn st. A.L.S. 1 leaf. Encourages addressee to keep on with his writing. His father, J.E.H. MacDonald, has done a dozen sketches in the area around Coboconk. Recommends H.D. Thoreau's writings. Letter has' letter-head of J.E.H. MacDonald, designer. With envelope, addressed to Schaefer in Hanover. 1925. Aug. 16. [Toronto] A.L.S. 1 leaf. J.E.H. MacDonald.is going to go out west, F. Carmichael and L. Harris are going to Coldwell on L Lake Superior. Sender has sent J drawings to the C.N .E. Asks if Mrs. Mills has ever paid him for his drawing. Letter has letter-head of J.E.H. MacDonald designQr. 1925. Aug. 24. Toronto, Studio BUilding. A.N.S. Thanks addressee for sending .- sample of his writing. Sends him the C.N.E. catalogue. 2 Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library Manuscript Collection Gift of Carl Schaefer of materials by and about ~~l) . Thoreau MacDonald. November, 1986. •Box 1 Letters from Thoreau MacDonald to Carl Schaefer (cont'd) 1927. July 8. Toronto Studio Building, 25 Severn st. A.L.S. 1 leaf. With Thoreau MacDonald's letter-head. A.Y. Jackson is going to the Arctic with a government expedition. Hopes addressee will send drawings for The Forum. Sender has designed bronze letters for the Manufacturer's Life Building. Lowrie (Warrener) has told him addressee is married. With envelope addressed to Schaefer at 82 Byron Ave, London, ant. (This was a boarding house where he lived while working on the interior of churches). 1927. Aug. 3. Toronto. A.L.S. 1 leaf with Thoreau MacDonald's letter head. Will keep the, drawings in case The Forum will use them, though The Foru.TJl is not keen on modern art. May send some of his own work to a black and white show at the C.N.E. There is a good show at the Grange on Canadian art. With envelope, addressed to Schaefer at Hanover. 1927· Nov. 1. Toronto, 25 Severn St. A.N.S. Comments on Dr. Banting's and A. Lismer's work. With envelope addressed to Schaefer at Hanover. 1928. Feb. 29. [Toronto] A.L.S. 1 leaf, with Thoreau MacDonald's letter head. Has not gone to the Group of Seven show whi ch has had bad reviews. George Russell, "A.E." has praised it. Sender did not have anything for the O.S.A. show but Lowrie Warrener sent some things. 1935. Dec. 31. Thornhill. A.L.S. 1 leaf, with Thoreau MacDonald's letter head. Thanks addressee for Christmas gift. Spent the holiday season cutting and hauling wood (Pencil drawing shows a man pulling a log). With envelope addressed to Schaefer at Hanover. 1936. July 22. Toronto, 25 Severn st. A.L.S. 1 leaf with Thoreau MacDonald's letter-head. Describes a fire which nearly destroyed Thornhill. A. Y. Jackson is in Europe and things are quiet at the Studio Building. 1939· Toronto, 25 Severn st. A.N.S. Informs addressee that Fannie Bowes' house which he admired is now up for sale. He could probably get it for $3,000.00. Letter has new letter-head, Thoreau MacDonald, Designer with a stylized oak leaf. 1940. Toronto, 25 Severn St. A.L.S. 1 leaf, with oak-leaf letter head gives farming news. Sender's mother has broken her arm • Bob Hunter is occupying himself working on his book [on J.E.H. MacDonald] • With envelope addressed to Schaefer 'at Norwich, • Vermont, where he is on a Guggenheim scholarship. 3 Manuscript Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library Collection )...1.{1J Gift of Carl Schaefer of materials by and about Thoreau MacDonald. November, 1986 • •Box 1 Letters from Thoreau MacDonald to Carl Schaefer (cont'd) 1941. March 13. Thornhill. A.L.S. 2 leaves. Gives news of Toronto. Lowrie Warrener is acting as manager of the Studio Build ing. Wydham Lewis is using Lawren Harris's studio. Refers to Banting's death. Describes a sale, near Thornhill, of a barn builder's tools.' Encloses a newspaper cutting which lists the tools. With envelope addressed to Schaefer at Norwich, Vermont. 1941. April 21. [Toronto] Wyndham Lewis has been doing a portrait of J .S. Mc.Lean. Lewis says Schaefer's work is the best he has seen on the continent, better than Burckfield's. [Ray] Nash has asked sender for some of his drawings but he has nothing new to send. With envelope addressed to Norwich Vermont. 1943. Aug. 15. Thornhill. A.L.S. 1 leaf. Sender is working mainly in the fields, because of shortage of labour. Bob Hunter is "plugging along in the U.S. ,ArJny." Asks addressee to contact his old friend, the British author and artist, Thomas Hennell. "Best regards to any Canucks I know." With envelope addressed to Flying officer Schaefer, R.C.A.F • Headquarters, D.A.S. Overseas. • 1943. Oct. 28. Thornhill, A.L.S. 1 leaf. Thanks addressee for checking on Thomas Hennell.