File

This file documents Clarence A. Gagnon's participation in the British Empire Exhibition presented at Wembley, England, in 1924 and 1925.

It contains a circular letter dated May 1, 1923, distributed by the National Gallery of Canada, which was mandated by the Canadian Government to organize the Canadian Art Section of the exhibition. In its introduction, this document stresses the importance of presenting a selection that reflects "the artistic pre-eminence which Canada holds among the British Dominions." The procedure proposed was to assemble the works in Ottawa, where they would be the judged by a selection committee and then shipped directly to London. The document goes on to list the regulations for artists wishing to submit paintings or sculptures to the committee. These include the criteria for defining who can be considered a "Canadian" artist, the submission deadlines, who is responsible for the cost of packing and transporting the works of art, and specifications regarding the framing of the work. The file also contains a second version of the circular letter, accompanied by an entry form, for the 1925 edition of the exhibition. A note stamped on the first page indicates that the announcement of the selection process was postponed due to "a delay in reaching an agreement regarding Canada's participation." In addition, both circular letters feature handwritten notes, probably added by Gagnon, listing paintings and etchings, in one case with their corresponding monetary values.

Press clippings report the critical reaction to the works displayed at the exhibition. Several articles mention negative comments about how the selection of Canadian works was not representative of the entire country (perhaps because of the strong presence of the Group of Seven), quoting a letter by G. Horne Russell, the president of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, that was published in the London Daily News. There are suggestions of a feud between the Academy, which had traditionally been given the task of selecting works for international exhibitions, and the National Gallery, which was entrusted with this duty for the British Empire Exhibition. Most of the articles, however, sing the praises of the Canadian pictures at Wembley. Many report the impressions of British critics published in London newspapers like The Times. Noted for their quality, the Canadian pictures are lauded for their distinctive character that stems not just from the preferred subjects of the artists—who tend to paint landscapes from nature rather than domestic or sentimental subjects—but also from their bold use of a vivid colour palette.

Finally, the file contains a permanent pass to the 1925 British Empire Exhibition, issued in the name of C. A. Gagnon.