Sunday, January 11, 2026

Within The First Peoples Hall

 We begin today with The Valley In December, painted by Clarence Gagnon from 1909-1913.


The Train, Winter is also by Gagnon, dating circa 1914.


Gagnon painted The Yellow House in 1912-13.


And rounding out this exhibit is River Thaw by Gagnon, painted at some point between 1908-13.


I continued on. Downstairs off the Grand Hall is the First Peoples Hall, a place of indigenous stories. It starts with a blending of two pictures, one a historical painting depicting indigenous peoples along the shore of the Ottawa River, with encampments of white people on the high ground at the far shore. The second is a contemporary photograph of Ottawa from this side. 


And this is the blending of both.


Exhibits within look at personal items of people over time. Indigenous peoples have made an impact on Canada and its history, and this area allows the visitor to take that in, particularly the variety. It might have been thought that they were all generic variations of each other- the so called Indian. The truth is that there was as much of a variety between themselves as there was between any one tribe and people from Europe.

7 comments:

  1. Beautiful paintings and exhibit. Take care, have a great week ahead.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ...thanks for sharing this wonderful display.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I do enjoy history. Not so much when I was in high school!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Such wonderful displays, William.

    ReplyDelete
  5. There's lots to see here. However, I'm more appalled than ever at the lack of Western Canadian art and history in these museums. I don't think thee was one piece of western art or history in this area. It's not that you're just picking eastern Canadian stuff. It just isn't there.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Awesome painting and indigenous displays ~ thanks

    ReplyDelete
  7. I like the snow paintings, especially the ones of the train and the little house.

    ReplyDelete