The Beaver Hall Group refers to a Montreal-based group of Canadian painters who met in the late 1910s while studying art at a school run by the Art Association of Montreal. The Group is notable for its equal inclusion of men and women artists, as well as for its embrace of Jazz Age modernism. They painted a variety of subjects, including portraits, landscapes, urban scenes and still lifes, in a mix of Modernist and traditional styles.
The group's name derives from 305 Beaver Hall Hill, the location of the downtown Montreal studio where its members shared space. It counted among the founding members eleven men and eight women.
The first Beaver Hall exhibition took place January 17, 1921. In his opening speech, Jackson emphasized the right of the artist to paint what they feel "with utter disregard for what has hitherto been considered requisite to the acceptance of the work at the recognized art exhibitions in Canadian centres. Jackson stressed, "individual expression is our chief concern". He identified its goals as being those of the Group of Seven, and over the years Jackson maintained the contact between Toronto and Montreal, supporting and stimulating the Montreal artists through regular visits and correspondence.
The association only survived for two years, during which time they held only four exhibitions with many different artists exhibiting among them. In 1924, the Beaver Hall Group gave up their rented studio but maintained their working studios at home.
More recently, curators have discovered a new dimension of Canadian modernism in the Beaver Hall Group. In contrast to the familiar modernist icons of the Toronto-based Group of Seven, the Montreal Beaver Hall painters were occupied with distinctly urban subjects: industry, fashion, and city life. Commenting on a recent exhibition, 1920s Modernism in Montreal: The Beaver Hall Group at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, co-curator Brian Foss said, "As fascinating and important as the Group of Seven was, it wasn't the only word on Canadian Modernism. Hopefully visitors will be struck by the extraordinary vibrancy, diversity and sheer quality of the art, and will come away with enhanced admiration for the real contributions Montreal artists made to Modernist art in this country
© 2019. All images are copyrighted © by The Beaver Hall Group or assignee. Apart from fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, the use of any image from this site is prohibited unless prior written permission is obtained. All images used for illustrative purposes only.
The group's name derives from 305 Beaver Hall Hill, the location of the downtown Montreal studio where its members shared space. It counted among the founding members eleven men and eight women.
The first Beaver Hall exhibition took place January 17, 1921. In his opening speech, Jackson emphasized the right of the artist to paint what they feel "with utter disregard for what has hitherto been considered requisite to the acceptance of the work at the recognized art exhibitions in Canadian centres. Jackson stressed, "individual expression is our chief concern". He identified its goals as being those of the Group of Seven, and over the years Jackson maintained the contact between Toronto and Montreal, supporting and stimulating the Montreal artists through regular visits and correspondence.
The association only survived for two years, during which time they held only four exhibitions with many different artists exhibiting among them. In 1924, the Beaver Hall Group gave up their rented studio but maintained their working studios at home.
More recently, curators have discovered a new dimension of Canadian modernism in the Beaver Hall Group. In contrast to the familiar modernist icons of the Toronto-based Group of Seven, the Montreal Beaver Hall painters were occupied with distinctly urban subjects: industry, fashion, and city life. Commenting on a recent exhibition, 1920s Modernism in Montreal: The Beaver Hall Group at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, co-curator Brian Foss said, "As fascinating and important as the Group of Seven was, it wasn't the only word on Canadian Modernism. Hopefully visitors will be struck by the extraordinary vibrancy, diversity and sheer quality of the art, and will come away with enhanced admiration for the real contributions Montreal artists made to Modernist art in this country
© 2019. All images are copyrighted © by The Beaver Hall Group or assignee. Apart from fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, the use of any image from this site is prohibited unless prior written permission is obtained. All images used for illustrative purposes only.
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| 1890, Charlevoix. Artist: William Brymner |
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| 1896, Looking over the Island of Orleans, Quebec. Artist: Maurice Cullen |
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| 1909, Landscape. Artist: James Wilson Morrice |
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| 1915-20, Chinatown, Montreal. Artist: John Y. Johnstone |
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| 1919, Houses at Ypres. Artist: A.Y. Jackson |
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| 1920, Girl and Cat. Artist: Emily Coonan |
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| 1920, Portrait of Prudence Heward. Artist: Lilias Torrance Newton |
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| 1920, Chicoutimi Falls. Artist: Maurice Cullen |
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| 1920, Untitled (Landscape). Artist: Nora Collyer |
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| 1924, Le port de Montréal. Artist: Adrien Hébert |
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| 1924, Miss Mary Macintosh. Artist: Randolph S. Hewton |
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| 1924, The Blue Sleigh. Artist: Sarah Robertson |
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| 1925, Early Spring on Caché River. Artist: Maurice Cullen |
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| 1925, Blue Ice, Lake Wonish. Artist: Anne Savage |
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| 1925, Derrière le marché à Berthierville. Artist: Kathleen M. Morris |
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| 1925, Berthierville. Artist: Kathleen M. Morris |
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| 1925, View from My Studio, University Street, Montréal. Artist: Mabel May |
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| 1926, Sainte-Catherine Street. Artist: Adrien Hebert |
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| 1927, Rue Saint-Denis. Artist: Adrien Hebert |
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| 1927, Après la grande messe, Berthier-en-haut. Artist: Kathleen Moir |
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| 1927, Early Spring. Artist: by A. Y. Jackson |
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| 1927, Indian Woman. Oka. Artist: Maybel May |
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| 1927, Près de Baie St. Paul, l'hiver. Artist: Mabel May |
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| 1928, Charny. Artist: Albert H. Robinson |
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| 1928, The immigrants. Artist: Prudence Heward |
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| 1928, At the Theatre. Artist: Prudence Heward |
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| 1928, Girl on a Hill. Artist: Prudence Heward |
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| 1929, Self-Portrait. Artist: Lilias Torrance Newton |
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| 1929, Elevator No. 1. Artist: Adrien Hébert |
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| 1929, Port de Montréal. Artist: Adrien Hébert |
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| 1929, Paul le Trappeur. Artist: Edwin Holgate |
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| 1929, Regatta at San-Sebastian. Artist: John Lyman |
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| 1929, Rollande. Artist: Prudence Hewards |
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| 1930, Brome Lake, Eastern Townships. Artist: Albert H. Robinson |
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| 1930, Untitled. Artist: Sarah Robertson |
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| 1932, Twilight in the Laurentians. Artist: Maurice Cullen |
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| 1933, In the Nuns' Garden. Artist: Sarah Robertson |
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| 1936, Patinage au Parc Lafontaine, Montréal. Artist: Adrien Hebert |
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| 1943, Portrait of Mrs. Zimmerman. Artist: Prudence Heward |
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| Still Life on Green Background. Artist: Goodridge Roberts |
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| Campement avec chiens. Artist: René Richard |
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| Lake Wonish. Artist: Anne Savage |
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| L'église à Notre-Dame-du-Portage (Near Cacouna). Artist: Emily Coonan |
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| Untitled (At the edge of the forest). Artist: Franklin Brownell |
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