Art at Queen's Park: The Macdonald Block - Untitled

A. J. Casson was born in Toronto in 1898 and died there in 1992. He studied at Ryerson School and later at the Hamilton Technical School, under J. S. Gordon.
	He served as an apprentice to the lithographer-designer Franklin Carmichael and then continued his formal studies at the Ontario College of Art and the Toronto Technical School, under Alfred Howell. In 1926, Casson joined the Group of Seven. He was a founding member of the Canadian Group of Painters and the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour. Click to see a larger image (282K) Alfred J. Casson, 1943 (detail) Ontario Society of Artists Black and white print Reference Code: F 1140-7-0-1 Archives of Ontario, I0010381

The artist’s other memberships included the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (Pres., 1948-52) the Ontario Society of Artists (Pres., 1941-46), and the National Academy of Design, New York. Casson has received a number of awards for his paintings of small Ontario towns and landscapes. The artist’s strong sense of design and order was likely influenced by his early experience as a lithographer. Click to see a larger image (196K) A. J. Casson surveys his mural as its installation nears completion in the Macdonald Block, [ca. 1968] Photographer unknown Government of Ontario Art Collection

Remarking on this oil painting on linen canvas, Casson explained, "In front of the church, there’s a young woman with a stroller and a little girl walking beside her. That’s my daughter and her children.”
Click to see a larger image (476K) Untitled, 1966-68 A. J. Casson, O.S.A., R.C.A. (1898-1992) oil on linen canvas Government of Ontario Art Collection, 619772

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